Midnight Stars of Giving Wish
by judasuu
Summary: When a star is born, it gives wish once it enters the atmosphere of Earth, then one star landed on a place where there were only girls except that star,now things will unravel as that star gives happiness to everything that around it. This is a slight reference to Hidan no Aria, you will see as you read.
1. Chapter 1

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Note: I might not be able to finish my story of the Infinite Stratos: Into the Eternal Climate which is a shame, some storm passed by and now all the data files that I have keep have all been corrupted, **_**sigh, **_**what a waste, and I've been saving it for a long time, I hope this new story can be paid up for that, enjoy and... well, my sincere apologies for those who were eager to see what will transpire next in my other story, well, enjoy.**

**Chapter 1: The Enlightened Star**

Up the stars in the sky stand billions of sparks, and it may indicate something like a meteorite or not at all, but one thing is certain... there is a superstitious belief that once you pray on a shooting star that enters Earth, you will be given one wish, but... perhaps it is not simply one star that gives wish, every star does, such as...

...At the Orimura Residence...

Ichika Orimura, the younger brother of the famous Chifuyu Orimura, the champion of the Mondo Grosso, the IS tournament, watches of how Chifuyu handle all sort of questions in the court, it's regarding his status in society as apparently... after one wrong direction at the examination hall at his school, he instead found an IS, the Byakushiki, the former IS of his older sister and supposedly, after she retired, it became unusable at that it's no longer battle oriented due to it not responding to anyone else other than its previous user and right now, there's no one using it... until... in the near future, it has been announced that Ichika will attend IS academy, an institution that is for IS users to learn the basics and fundamental steps in manuevering IS, there has also been indication that only females can operate IS, but evidently, it seems one male can operate it, Ichika. Why? For reasons unknown, some say Ichika could have been passed onto the blood of Chifuyu to which it may have enabled him to operate an IS and then the other reason is that Ichika might be refered to as a special blood to some degree, though both claims remain unproven and the only thing is certain is that things will different for the young man now. "Geez, don't they have anything else in mind?" On the screen, he sees his older sister giving answers to here and then about his status and how he will be living from now on, according to the Alaska treaty, things such as nations, companies and other agencies out there cannot set foot on IS academy and those who attend there must not have any affiliation with any of them, thus, it is regarded as a free institution with the Japanese government monitoring the condition and status of every students of where they are from and what will be their status for future times whether they will actually be using IS or simply know its basic functions and do something to improvise it to some degree. "Chifuyu-nee is working hard for me, _sigh, _I wish I could do something for her." It's not that she minds, Chifuyu that is, she intends on being the hardworker if it means getting her older brother to safety and be as he is as he is now the only family she has left, women cannot stay strong without someone to lean on, that much is true, those who tend to act tough like strength is all there is, those kind of people will eventually find that mere strength is never enough, why? Because as strength grows, so does the capacity and as capacity grows, it will become uncontrollable to the point it will eventually destroy itself as such those who embrace such line of thinking is either weakened or will not go far in their path at all, that is how this works, that is the nature of the world. As truth will forever be the almighty one and any falsehood will be dealt with. "Well then, what should I have for dinner?" It's just about 8 in the evening, tomorrow is when Ichika will leave the house and have it lock for about at least... well, three years? He'll be staying at IS academy for about that long and he can return here from time to time though only for a brief period, IS academy provides all sort of luxury for its students or that's what Chifuyu would put it, perhaps she's bluffing or not, either way, Ichika's fate is sealed though he doesn't mind as the well-being of others is more important to him, that has made him attractive to some females out there, and perhaps right now, he is regarded as the most popular man on Earth due to his ability to pilot IS. Ichika didn't turn off the t.v. as he head for the chicken. "Chifuyu-nee will probably be hungry once she gets back, I better prepared something, let's see, she likes onions with..." He's good at housework, as most guys have frankly been berated by a bunch of women for being the less dominant gender at this era, people have either been arrogant or ignorant to the fact that women may have dominated this era, it may in fact a day of reckoning if one can put it, as men have perhaps been arrogant about women, one wish may have inflicted a damage on them that things have become contradictory that women have eventually overpowered men for their low perspective of them of being just housewives or many other insulting point of view, and right now, women are the ones running the military, though of course, there are still the councilmen who are all males who decide all sort of decisions for everyone.

"To that end, my brother Orimura Ichika will be attending IS academy to facilitate in his growing ability to pilot an IS, that is all, dismiss." The press conference erupted in chaos as Chifuyu ended the question and answer live view on t.v., she doesn't like dealing with such people with many questions in which answer one question, then another one, it's never-ending and it will not go away soon.

"_Sigh, _Chifuyu-nee sure didn't wasted any time ending that session."

...Somewhere else...

In this rich and luxurious hall of a mansion, one girl tries to aim particularly on a bottle that she intends to use as target practice. "So this boy is...?" Cecilia Alcott, the representative candidate of England, asked her maid who is a childhood friend who goes by the name of Chelsea Blackett.

"Hai, isn't it interesting? After a long while, men suddenly becoming popular again."

"I don't care about that, if he gets in my way..." _bhew, shatter! _One weapon pod smashed the bottle into a lot of shards. "I'll blow him into smithereens."

"Whoa, that was... 1,000 worth." This kind of paying is not... well, to the Alcott family it's just like buying a 50 yen ice scream cone.

...Somewhere else...

"Hey, why can't I attend to IS academy?" A certain chinese girl who runs a restaurant with her mother complains about not taking test in order to get admitted to IS academy.

"You said some time earlier that you don't want to attend so I put if off."

"As you said." The uncle and an assistant said, the assistant only seems to be confirming things.

"Who cares about things that happen in the past! Anyway, I need to go there, I'll do anything, I promise!" She steps on the flashback of her shrugging the capability test from the face of her uncle. This test is intended for those who wish to attend IS academy, those who pass the test about manuevering IS get admitted, those who don't... well, it's safe to say that they won't be admitted but the worst part of it is... you'll be a disgrace for trying in the first place as if you have just mocked what it means to be an IS user, represantives know not to fail whenever they are battled or ask to battle another one, those who lose will still have honor, but those who forfeit will be like become a symbol of a deserter for all IS users out there, though of course... those can be applied for all normal women, but as for men...

...At the Orimura Residence...

"Huh? I won't have to take the application test?"

"Ah, you'll be immediately taken to the academy tonight, Yamada will greet you so don't worry." Chifuyu just came home, carrying some bags, not from the grocery stores around the neighborhood but... it's pack with cans that came from vending machines, or not. All of them are beer or... something alcoholic, she's been known to be a heavy drinker sometimes, in fact, there is a certain bar here where Chifuyu usually attends, the bartender knows her and she has sort of became fascinated to the brew that they do there. "Anyway, pack your things, we'll leave early tonight."

"Eh? T-Tonight? But..."

"Do you want to be endlessly barged with questions from reporters?"

"Uh..." Right, since that fateful day where he was supposed to take an examination, one instructor instructed him to go to a storage hall where he found an IS, the former IS of his older sister, the Byakushiki, is instored, it's been there for about... well, since Chifuyu herself retired after winning the championship at Mondo Grosso, though she forfeited that last match for good reasons, what good is there being champion without happiness anyway? Those who lack such things will probably have an hellish life ahead of them, happiness is truth, without such things, there can be no end. Well about that, ever since that fateful day, things have become much more busier for Chifuyu, not that she's complaining but she can't stand people who are so overobnoxious that they'll just ignore the visiting time, sort to speak, and ask various questions about Ichika of how he is able to pilot an IS, which they sometimes deduce that perhaps even men can pilot such equipments, if not being rude in how IS are supposed to be just tools in battle or whatever one prefer to use them by, though such deductions were later confirmed to be nontrue at all, only Ichika can pilot IS among men, which leads to various controversies about one's belief, the world is full of beliefs, even those that they consider absolute facts are also based on one's perspective. "...no."

"Good, then you best go outside, I'll grab the keys then we can move on, this house will likely be closed for a while, so don't forget your keys once you leave."

"Hai." He leaves with his IS uniform already intact, he's wearing it since frankly there is no time to waste in enrolling to IS academy, Chifuyu told him to meet someone named Yamada, must be an instructor or someone important in IS academy, which means they might be of the staff members in the faculty or something. "So, when will we..."

"Return? Hmph, you can return during breaks, though I would advise you to not leave the academy on occasions or else you might suffer expulsion for being tardy or not attending at all."

"Ah, okay..." This is getting more and more better, this institute must be very strict with its policy, as such it maybe because the japanese government is watching over the status of every students attending there, as such, no agencies, nations and other organizations or agencies out there can step foot in the grounds of the academy unless the Alaska treaty demands so, this treaty serves as the only agreement that keeps the world on a stable state, if it gets broken... well, world war might consume the world again. "Ja, I'll wait outside."

"Okay, ja, I'll be waiting."

"Ah, like I said, don't forget your key, I won't be here too for a long time."

"Hai." He closes the door behind him, on the road, stands a car, a black sedan to be precise, it belongs to Chifuyu, she has earned much fortune over the years due to her unique strength, agility, charisma and talent in manuevering IS, she's like the epitome of a woman who can discipline men who are barbaric and would complain about how women have become superior in gender and that men have all been put to naught in their superiority figure like men should be... nah, not worth discussing such egotistical conversations, there is also some group of criminals in this area where they said they are called the Wild Lucky Bunch, or at least that's the name of the boss decided to entitled the group for them being "lucky" as he put it, supposedly these guys are just a bunch of thugs causing trouble in society but recently, there has been some unrest regarding women being taken as hostage to be "hosts" for their entertainment, what that is is not discussed as the mere thought of what's happenning to the ladies in town are just... disturbing, one such as a chivalrous person is not probably standing to such insults but... there has been no one by such background, except... "_Sigh, _I guess I better wait here, the moon is crescent tonight, hm, I didn't noticed." Ichika lies at the side of the car, with his back resting on it, Chifuyu will grab a few stuff inside the house then step out as well, then they will be off to the isolated island of IS academy, though it's only isolated at just about... crossing a bridge sort to speak, a railing to be precise, you just take one monorail ride and there you go, IS academy, it's just a simple travel wherein you will enter the domain of... nah, there's no such thing like there's a field boundary that prevents men from taking foot inside the campus of that institute, if there are, there wouldn't be any men now... and that... would be chaos, well, not breaking the boundary of... nah, there's no such thing as that, reality is just plain invicinble for any delusions out there, no one can replace the harsh, cruel reality. "_Sigh, _IS academy huh... I wonder what kind of student's life that awaits me."

"Hehe, are you interested in knowing the future?" A sarcastic, as well as eccentric, voice asked.

"Huh?" Turning to the side, there's a weird guy with a mushroom hairstyle sitting near the house, he has a long nose which may seem to resemble that of a famous musician or something. "You are..."

"Hehe, it's a beautiful night, isn't it?"

"Uh, y-yeah, I guess so." There has been some weird individuals reported in the streets, this one... he's wearing the coat of a scientist and his expression seems to be striking as if he's a madman who has come up with something.

"So, do you wish to see the future?" He's holding a set of tarot cards and he's passing them through with each of his hands like similar in a gamble where the gambler shuffles the cards on his hands.

"Eh?"

"I will offer no payment for this mere fortune telling, but, do you believe in fortune telling?"

"Uh, a little?"

"Hm, just so, well then, please pick up four cards from this." He laid four cards on the ground, face down. It's up for Ichika to draw which first.

"Hm, this one..."

"It's up to you."

Ichika kneeled on the ground and observe the cards, these are of the tarrot cards like the Magician, the Priestess and many more that is of the Thoth deck of tarot cards. "Hm, how about... this one." He flips one card open, it's the Star, in the upright position.

"Oh, the Star in the upright position indicates the immediate future, it seems... haha, fortune and blessing is on your way."

"Eh?"

"Why don't you flip another, so we may proceed forward."

"A-Ah, okay." Flipping one card, this time it's... another star. "Eh?"

"Oh, another Star, in the upright position no less, hm... It seems the stars will smile on you this day." That seems to be obvious, two stars on the row, the next is... "Why don't you pick another?"

"A-Ah, okay." Flipping another... a star. "Uh." He feels rather awkward at this, what does this star means anyway? In the Thoth reading, the star represents enthuasm, bright future, positive outcome and many other more. "What does this mean... Huh?"

"Hehe, fufu, this is... haha, how marvelous, your future is very interesting. It seems you will encounter a turning point in your destiny, and a great adventure awaits you."

"Huh?"

"This adventure will lead you to many people, all of which you will form attachments with, and these attachments will be your source of strength, so, that being said... why don't you flip the last one?"

"Oh uh okay, but... don't you think..." It might be just another star so... Flipping it... "Huh?" The hanged man... in the downward position, what does this mean? In the Thoth reading, this represents unable to move on, or... unable to do anything, normally this is a bad sign, but in this case, three stars in a row may mean that this inability to move maybe that the person cannot change destiny itself, and in Ichika's case, this might means... he may be blessed... whether he likes it or not... or whether he will acknowledge it or not. "Uh, this is..."

"Oh, the hanged man, hehe, you might find yourself blessed with fortune... despite how you might see it as a curse or misfortune."

"Eh? Wha-" Just then Ichika finds himself surrounded by two people whose faces are covered in... clothing, which may seem look like they're a bunch of terrorists who are onto hiding. "Eh? Who-" They suddenly stand beside him.

"To that end, I think you will need this." The old man with long nose presents a long canister with... red substance on it. "Hehe, hold him."

"Hai." The two guys said, and..."

"Eh? W-Waah! H-Hey, what is the meaning of this!" Ichika got grabbed from both sides and he's struggling to break free, but these guys seem to be very relentless. Then another guy with his face covered in clothing comes with a... stretcher, for operation. Ichika is laid on it, with his arms and legs incapacitated by the other guys. "H-Hey, what is this? What is the meaning of this? Grr, grr, let me go! I said let me go!"

"Relax my boy, with this," The long nose old man presents the canister, "You shall be... the star the grants wishes to the appealment of women this day." A lightning struck as he said that with a striking expression.

"What does that mean? Hey, let me go, hey, gr, urgh!" He tries to break free but those things are like... well, they're like equipments in a gym that Ichika finds lacking the strength to lift them, well, if they're not attached to the stretcher, he might be able to lift them, but the real problem is... something like an helmet is placed on Ichika's head, with many connectors on it, when they put it on him, all of the connectors are stuck on his head. "Eh? This is?" They are connected to his brain it seems, no, no, not like the brain organ in his head is stucked with a bunch of connectors but rather... there are motion waves that are causing his brain waves to be like... well, putting in a state where you feel like you're sleepy, similar to a surgery room wherein a couple of doctors has put the patient to sleep for the duration of the operation, but this one... Ichika's brain is being connected to something. "What are you..."

The old man sits beside him on a operation equipment that is provided by the men. "Well then, show me, show me... what the Hysteria Zero Syndrome will do to the human, ha ha, for the latest of my invention, something that trascends the logic of others, some say that the brain is the senses of all things... well then, let us see how far will this theory go, ha ha! Ha ha! Ha ha ha!"

"Ahh! You're insane! Help, someone help-!" _blurrgh, blurrgh, blurrgh! _The Hysteria Zero Syndrome as the old man would put it, is installed into a something that is input on Ichika's connectors, then they all flew through him like a bunch of blood being poured out of his head, then...

"Urgh, wha..." Ichika feels like something inside him is about to boil, like his blood is boiling... the brainwaves... his brain... those connectors are providing a motion wave that is too... too... overwhelming! It's awakening the sixth sense, like... like... "Urgh, uaarrgh!" Ichika's eyes become sort of empty, but then they return lively again, the sixth sense is gain and then... _ha ha... ha ha... ha ha... _Ichika could see a bunch of girls laughing, some may say that he's hallucinating these things but... there are some things that are beyond human comprehension... this... is one of them. _blurrgh, blurrgh! _The brain waves still intact, started to show Ichika something like a bunch of boiling red substance that seems to have been input on his spinal cord, then into his brain and then finally, it kicks in, it becomes hot inside like his brain is being boiled, allowing the sixth sense to become active. "Ah, ah... ah." Ichika exclaims some air for a while, it's not really painful but it can certainly makes you feel nervous when you feel like you're diving into the unknown and then... all sort of images of people comes to Ichika's mind, almost all of it... no, it's not almos... all of them are girls, and then... even Chifuyu is included it seems... then the last is... a star... which sends... endless amount of possibilities. "Ah!" Ichika opens his eyes to see himself not lying on a stretcher or operation equipment but rather, he's lying on the ground near the sedan that is owned by his older sister. "What the... I... Ugh," touching his head, he still feels a little headache from that experience, it feels like he's been under a surgical operation wherein a new type of blood was input onto his well-being, those connectors around his head sort of affected the brain waves on his brain, but that's not the problem, the problem is... "Ugh, I... I feel like..." Trying to maintain his composure, he tries to stand up while shaking, he cannot seem to get himself straight from the trauma and something inside his head... seems to be boiling for some reason, he can feel some beats around his head, as if the brain is beating, well, not exactly the brain but... nah, he's not good at the bisecting lesson of biology, so nevermind about that. "Ah, the stars..." Staring up, he still hallucinating some things due to the experience but he can see clearly and his brain is functioning real well.

_Keplunk. _"Hey, sorry for the long wait, let's get going." Chifuyu emerges out of the house, oblivious of what just transpired... the strange part is, there is no trace of all the activities earlier, that strange, eccentric, long nose old man is not within the premises and that stretcher and other equipments seem to have been removed as well. "Hm? What's the matter? You look a little dizzy."

"Ah... Ah, yeah, I guess so..." He said trying to use the car as a balance so that he may not fall.

"...? What's wrong? Are you sick? Let me feel your head." Chifuyu touches his head, then toucher her own to see if there is any different in temperature, strangely, Ichika's head seems to be hot and hers is only... well, it's hot but not really in the same temperature of Ichika. "Hm, that's strange, do you have a flu?"

"Uh no, I... huh? Wah!" He didn't noticed it, but Chifuyu held his head around her chest to see if his neck is hot as well, then... without Chifuyu's notice, his head is now on her chest... which... "B-Black bra, C-Chifuyu-nee... you're..." He didn't dare go say it outloud, but... at this case... Chifuyu removes his head from her chest, to see if any other of his body parts are the same temperature around his head. "I..." _blurrghha. _"Huh?" Something boils in his head. "Ugh." This causes him to touch his head again as he is aching.

"What's the matter? Are you sick?"

"Augh, no, I... Guh." He falls on the ground. "Ugh, I... Gwah!" Black panties... pretty attractive. _blurrgh, blurrgh. _Blood boiling... too hot. "Ugh, dammit."

"Hey, snap out of it, come on, let's get you to the academy before you started to pass out here, we can't affor to... huh?" Just then, a tank came passing by the neighborhood. "What the..."

"Huh?" Ichika turns to it and then he realizes it's... "Hey, that's..."

"Yeah, lucky! lucky! lucky!" _Bang, bang, bang! _

"Damn!"

"G-Guah!" Chifuyu took Ichika and he pulled... no, he got pulled by Chifuyu around the neck collar and they hide behind the sedan car, it's a terrorist attack.

"Stay down!" Chifuyu brought out a gun as gunfire erupted in the neighborhood.

"lucky! lucky! lucky!"

"Those are..." Ichika knows these guys, they're the Wild Lucky Bunch who are causing trouble around the area recently, most of the residents are having a hard time breathing at night due to their usual interference around here. They are reported on the news but it says the politicians do not have the manpower to manuever the problem right now, why? Because... well, due to the introduction of IS, terrorism, looting and other criminal activities have spread, evidently, some men who didn't like the idea of men being outstrip by women when it comes to the superior gender, it's a superiority complex in other words.

_Bang, bang, bang! _A gunshot broke out. Some police patrol cars arrived in the area. "Take cover!" Some squad forces with shield kneeled forward with shields as their cover, some police officers with guns came out of their cars and use the door as barricade and shield while they fire and the squad forces of the police with heavy artillery, mainly a.k.s and other heavyarmed guns, step forward while couching in a position that is aimed for the thugs.

"Lucky, lucky, lucky!" The guys who are "lucky" as they put it continue firing at the town.

"Mommy, what should..."

"Let's go dear!" Some civilians are present and they run for it at the sight of this battle, some battlefields out there involved men and women, those who said to have sided with women are a bunch of "girly" men who don't have guts to fight, though that is just egotistical thinking and very unreasonable, some men are like that, always prowling about how great men should be and how women are forever be housewives and nothing more, it's barbaric and egotistical, that is why, reason must reign in.

"Tch, bastards, why now?" Chifuyu tries to contact someone. "Yamada, we have a slight problem here, I'm going to need a detachment of IS force here immediately, some terrorists are raiding the neighborhood, we need IS deployment here, hurry!" She hangs up. "Tch, bastards!" _Bang, bang, bang! _She fires at them, she got two of them, they're not dead, only injured, there would be casualties if these guys would be dead so it's best to just humiliate or incapacitate them. If they would even do that however, if they do not, then they will... die... so...

"Ugh, urgh." Ichika is still feeling the effect of that boiling substance that is on his brain and that is coming from the spinal cord, it's too much, it sometime makes him hallucinate things that are not there but... sometimes... the sixth sense that is opened up to him, seems to suggest... that he mus do something, but first... "I... must..."

_Bang, bang, bang! _"Ichika, stay down!" _Hit! _"Gr," One tries to hit them, the bullet reflected on the sedan, reducing some of its beauty. "Those bastards, I spent a whole day cleaning this, they won't get away with this." Chifuyu bowed on that. "Hiya!" _Bang, bang, bang! _

"Ugh!"

"Ugh!"

"Augh!" Three are hit, and they unconcious on the ground, the bullets that Chifuyu is using is that of stun bullets, which they do not kill, but only incapacitated. One guy sneaks up from the side but...

_Bang! _"Guh!"

With a sharp sense, Chifuyu performed a rotating shot without looking and hit the guy on the abdomen, it's too risky to aim at the head part or the chest part, so the abdomen will have to do, the very chance that they will faint from there is very high.

"Everyone, we have an hostage!"

"No, make that three hostage, ha ha!" The boss of the Wild Lucky Bunch announced while standing over a tank that they stole.

"Waah! Help us!" Three girls, students it seems, are being held captive, all of whom are all from the same school it seems.

"Hm? That's..." Chifuyu recognized their uniforms to that of IS academy, that one of them is also a representative candidate of Japan, Sarashiki Kanzashi. She's the younger sister of the student council, and she's being held hostage along with some other women.

"Kyaah!"

"Ha ha, look how helpless these girls here, this is what girls should be, housewives, maids, servants, hosts, for us! Ha ha! Ha ha ha! ha ha!" The insane sicko who is the boss of this group exclaimed loudly over the microphone, mocking every women who is present here, some of the civilians are hiding behind cars to avoid the gunshots. "Now look, as I make myself comfortable at the presences of these babes!" The boss taking off his shirt.

"Kyaah!" Which frightened the girls.

"Yeah, lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky!" With the henchmen laughing at the development.

"Gr," Chifuyu curses. She picks up her phone again. "Hey Yamada, what's taking so long? We need backup here, three... no... one of our students who is highly important is being held hostage along with other two students."

"What? But..." That someone in the phone sounds timid and nervous at the development.

"We need backup here, don't waste anymore time, we need you here, now!"

"H-Hai, be right there." She hung up.

"Tch, it may take some time before they arrive... dammit, they won't..." At this rate, those girls will be abused and they won't be pure anymore, sort to speak.

"Kyaah!"

"Kyaah!" One of the students, the one with blue hair, just got stripped of her outer uniform, now there is only the undershirt.

"Whoo! Lucky, lucky, lucky!" And those sickos begun cheering like wild animals.

"Tch,"

"Oh my."

"Those poor girls." Chifuyu and the other civilians are disgusted by the development. Then... one shooting star just passed by... and the girls wish is...

"Save us-!" They all yelled and...

"Huh?" Ichika, who has been feeling hot on his head for some time now, takes notice of the development. "What the..." He can see almost half-naked girls in sight, this proves to be... _blurgh. _"Ah." This time it doesn't feel unpleasant, but rather... "I..." _blurrugh, blurrgh, blurrgh! _All sort of information are flowing, almost... almost... unlimited! _Flash! _That sparked it, the... the... Zero... Hysteria Zero Syndrome! "...Ah." Ichika smiles... almost... wickedly.

"This isn't gonna be pretty, we better- hm?" Chifuyu notices that her younger brother is making himself a target practice by exposing himself. "Hey, I told you to stand down and- huh?" He suddenly grabs her hand with the gun.

"Daijobou, Chifuyu-nee." He is sort of smirking at her. "Ah, you'll be the princess who watches how this turns out."

"Huh?" Now that's odd, he's acting like... he's very confident of what will transpire and he's acting almost chivalrous... too chivalrous, almost too, too, very, very chivalrous as he just took Chifuyu into a bridal style carry and carries her to a bench nearby. "Wh-What's gotten into you? Ichika, you're..."

"Shh, be remain, I'll take care of things." He said that with a wink.

"Ah." She blushes because of that, what's gotten into him? As he gone crazy? Or... "H-Hey, get down, you're gonna get shot!"

"Daijobou, it's better that you stay safe right? Like a princess should leave things to her prince."

"Huh?" Shrugging off these nonsense words that are like of a chivalrous knight, "What's gotten into you? Did you suddenly hit your head a while ago?"

"No, I... As your older brother, I must repay your love with tender, Chifuyu-nee, _chu._" A blow kiss.

"Ah." She blushes because of that.

"Now then, I will borrow this." It's about the pistol. Then... a sword that is in its closed form for now, it's an IS equipment actually, Chifuyu can carry this like her strength is that of almost superhuman. Due to some strange occurrence, Ichika's reflex and enhanced physical strength seems to have drastically increased, almost like there's something in him that has awoken, it's a like a demon inside that is aiming to do... to do... to do... "Ha ha, des... truction to those who harm women." Ichika's eyes are glowing red in a slight degree that it's indicating the effect of the Hysteria Zero Syndrome or something that eccentric old guy implemented on him, he steps into the battleground.

"Hm? Hey, boss, we got another one here!"

"Hm?" The boss just took off his shirt for his so-called "entertainment" with the girls.

"Huh?"

"Hm?" The girls, Chifuyu, the Wild Lucky Bunch and the civilians all turn to Ichika who is walking slowly towards these guys.

"..." He's keeping a confident smirk on his face as the Syndrome compels him to.

"Hey, step back, our boss is keeping his luckiest moment here." All of the guys point their guns at Ichika.

"Huh, is that so." He said lowering his head then turning to them with a smile... sort the least. "Ja, why don't we all calm down and think about stuff and then let's all be gentlemen and forget about all this." A smile like an innocent kid... an angel... but...

"..."

"..."

"..." Everyone feels awkward, the girls, the civilians and Chifuyu are all wondering what he is trying to do, asking these guys to surrender the girls peacefully and repent for what they have done, how naive... how... foolish into the eyes of these guys but...

"Ha ha ha!"

"Ha ha! Hey, look who it is, someone trying to be a hero, ha ha!"

"Ha ha! Yeah, get lost sucker, ha ha!"

"Ha ha ha!" All of the Wild Bunch Lucky or Wild Lucky Bunch laughed hysterically at him.

...Speaking of Hysteria... At that laughter, it is apparent that they won't surrender so... the demon... has awaken... the angel has passed... now... there is only... "Ah, ha ha." Ichika slowly begins to form a wicked smile... replacing the angel smile earlier. "Ha ha, so, it's that your final answer?"

"Huh, if you want an answer, answer this!" _Bang, bang, bang! _All of them fired, creating a smoke screen.

"Ichika!" Chifuyu exclaimed, she's still on the bench where Ichika carried her and told her to watch like a princess.

"Ah." The civilians are in awe.

"Hm?" As well as the police.

"Ha ha, some hero he was. Huh?" Just as the smoke screen fades, the Wild Lucky Bunch find that...

"Ha," Ichika has deployed a large katana and he seems to have blocked all the shots of these guys.

"Wha..."

"What the?"

"Hm?" The boos who has just took off his pants turn to the commotion.

"Why are you...?"

"Huh?" The girls, who are hostages, also turn to Ichika.

"Why are you...?"

"Ichika." Chifuyu and the others are expecting something that will happen and...

"Ha," With a wicked smirk, Ichika raises his head as one card, the hanged man, is left with a lot of holes on it as it falls to the ground, while reflecting on Ichika. That card seems to be a keepsake for him from that eccentric old guy. "You know there is a saying that bad men tell no tales, and you know what they say about the bad men... they all..." Turning around... with he deployed katana in hand... turning around again. "_Die._" _Slaarrgh, slaarrgh, bang, bang, bang! _

"Guah!"

"Guaargh!"

"Uraggh!"

"Arrgh!" A lot of the men received a hit on the neck by the side of the katana while the rest got deafened on their ears by the shot that Ichika performed rapidly. "Arrgh!" All of them fainted as a result.

"Wha...?" The boss is all that is left.

"Huh?" The girls turn to Ichika.

"M-My luck, it's..."

"Teme!" One guy remains but... _Bang! _"Guah!" One of the police shot him from behind with a stun gun.

"Gather around, protect the civilians!" The lieutenant exclaimed.

"Hai, yes sir!" The police squad froces split up.

"You dare interrupt with my luck?" The boss got all aggressive. _Whoosh! _"Huh?" Then Ichika stepped forward to challenge him from the sides. "Geh, you, you're responsible for this!" _Bang! _

_Whoosh! _Ichika moves his leg to the left to avoid contact with the bullet that he just shot, he can see he bullet slowly due to some reflexes, or rather, his reflexes are too fast at his state that he can participate in dodging something before it comes before his eyes.

"Hiyaa!" _Bang, bang, bang! _

_Block, block, block! _Ichika used the katana deployed to deflect all the bullets. Then he held it in a striking way like he's challenging the boss to a contest. "Hm,"

"Guah!" The boss is at a disadvantage.

"Ah." The girls are rather in awe in all this development.

"You're rather rude, treating women like this, you know there is only one solution for something like his, sa, I challenge you, I will make you a bet that if you lose, you will be disgraced as a man for treating women like this and if you... haha, honestly, I can only see you lose." He said that with fury in his eyes.

"Shut up you indoctrinated man! I won't let you ruin my luck!" The boss untied the rope for the girls, freeing them but,

"Guah!"

"S-Sarashiki-san!"

"Huh, I'll be taking this girl with me, we'll be having fun!"

"Gyaah!"

"Sarashiki-san!"

"Hmph, bastard." Blood boils on Ichika, he steps foot on the tank where the guy is standing.

"Don't come any closer, or this girl dies!" He points a pistol on the girl's temple.

"Wah!" Everyone is worried.

"Yabe, we're at a disadvantage." The police can't do anything.

"We can't let her be dragged."

"But we can't let them get away as well."

"Shut up!" _ Bang! _The man fired above, alarming the citizens. "I want you all to be quiet if you don't wish to be put a hole in this girl's head!" He points at the girl's temple again.

"U... U," She's on a verge of tears.

"Ja, what are you terms?" Ichika step forward.

"Don't come, don't come any closer, step another foot and I'll shoot her."

"Hmph, ja, what are you terms? We're at your disposal."

"..." The police cannot do anything so the police just lay their faith on Ichika for the best outcome to this.

"Ichika." Even Chifuyu and the rest of the civilians who are watching this.

"Sa, I want you to drop your sword and slowly lay your gun on the middle."

"Hmph," Ichika abides to the demands of the boss and throwed the sword to the side, then he begun to walk forward to lay the weapon as agreed but...

"Haha, that's it, come closer, come closer..."

..._tap... tap... tap... _He's now on the middle and then, laying his gun there, he's about to stand up again, only to... _Bang! _"Ugh." He got shot on the forehead.

"Haha, you fell for it, men's weakness are women, that is why you're weak, ha ha! Ha ha! Ha ha!"

"Ah."

"Ah."

"Ah."

"Ichika!" Everyone is in awe again.

"No, I..." The girl who is the hostage begun to shed tears, and these tears... will be granted a wish upon the star... and that is... "Someone... someone... someone saved us!"

_Tct. _A wish is granted. Ichika stood straight. "Hm?" The boss noticed that. "What the...?"

"I can't ignore your barbaric intent any longer." Tossing another gun into midair, Ichika seems to have saw the bullet that was aimed for his forehead so... he made it look like he was hit so he hanged his head high to pretend that the boss got him, dropping him off guard, in his state with fast reflexes he can see approaching bullets with ease, then with two guns in hand, one of which is something he grabbed from the unconcious guys below.

_Tap, tap. _"Hm, hmph." Ichika tosses a bullet to the side, he seems to have caught the bullet that was intended for his head. "So... _TIme to finish you off._"

"Gee!" He said that demonic words and... _Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! _A bunch of holes are made through the wooden plane behind the boss, making a symbol out of him from there.

Then Ichika charged forward with a stern face, the boss is still holding a gun so the girl is still in danger... but... "Hm!"

"Gyaah!" The boss relies on his last ditch of survival and that is pointing a gun on the girl who is the hostage then... _Bang! _"Gyah!"

Ichika put his finger on the jammer trigger, preventing the bullet from going through the hole, so it was like a blank shot which the girl is safe. "Ah." The girl turns to the boss, then to Ichika. "You..."

"Your wish is granted, ojou-san."

"Eh?" She blushes at that.

"Sa te, about your punishment big guy..." _Thud, thud! _

"Gyoww!"

"Hiya!" _Thud! _

"Guaargh! Wh-Who are you?"

"The question is... who the hell are you!" _Thud, thud! _"Why don't you shout? Come on, I dare you to shout, didn't you want to spoil women? Huh? Was that it your intention? Did you think that messing with women was the best idea? Huh?" _Thud, thud, thud, thud! _As Ichika continued to land continuous punches, he continued to mock this man of his barbaric scheme with the girl watching. "I will protect her from you, from these scum and most importantly, I'll gladly give my life for her, got it!"

"Ah." She blushes at that, this is like a shining star that gives wish swearing to protect someone, like a guardian angel. "You..."

"Understand now? Well? Do you? Huh?"

"_Cough, cough. _Yes, I... understand. Ah." He fainted.

"Good." Ichika lets him down.

...Later...

The police arrested the thugs and everyone present saw Ichika as the hero of the day. "Congratulations young man, you saved the women."

"Yeah!" A lot of crowd are gathered here for that reason.

"Uh..." Ichika could recall what has transpired here tonight, but he's having a hard time believing it, well, not like he's in a state of nihilism but, back there, something inside him triggered and almost like his inner desire surfaces and then he beat the crap out of those thugs and acted like a gentleman in front of many and then, there was this, congratulating for one's deed. "Yeah... Uh... T-Thank you."

"Nah, we are in your debt, please take this as reward, thank you for your cooperation and have a good day." The police left with the criminal.

"Ah." Tonight is one of the nights that Ichika wouldn't forget, something triggered alright, like even though he sort of thought of him having no chance of rescuing those women earlier, something like a syndrome affected his mentality and he then becomes somewhat of a hero, or at least in the eyes of others, and then he would just go about doing something heroic, whatever the situation is, even Chifuyu was treated like a princess, and now he finds himself here as the center of attention.

"That boy is the one who..."

"Huh?" Some women are whispering.

"Step aside, Ichika, let's go." Chifuyu said coming through the crowd.

"Huh? Ah-Ah, okay."

"We have delayed here enough, we best go."

"A-Ah, okay. Hm?"

Something is coming, bunch of IS, it seems to be the IS force. "Orimura-sensei!"

"About time you got here Yamada, what took you so long?"

"Sorry, something about the Byakushiki was..."

"..." Ichika stood by watching and...

"Um, hey." Someone calls out.

"Hm? Oh, yes?" Ichika remembers these girls, they're the ones he saved there earlier.

"T-Thank you for... rescuing us... and..."

"Thank you." The other two bowed.

"Oh uh it's... it's nothing, I would have done anyone would have done there, ha ha."

"Still, we owe you our lives, thank you." Then all three of them bow.

"Uh..."

"A-And, about what you said earlier... about... um, about how you will protect me with my... um..."

"Ah." Ichika does remember saying that, as for how... he never knew, he never knew that he could spill that out in front of many like he has no fear in saying it but... "Uh..."

"W-Well, I... uh... I hope we meet again!" The girl runs off.

"Ah, Sarashiki-san!" The other two followed after the third gives a bow to Ichika then ran off.

"Uh..."

"Ichika, let's go, we'll be going to the academy now."

"H-Hai." 'What just happened... that thing that I felled... what... what... what happened?' As the stars continue to emanate above, all the wishes of the pure can be granted and the boy who is the star that gives wish to women will finally make his mark on the world, we will see upon the stars... again.

End of Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Note: I'm still not over that story Infinite Stratos: Eternal Climate... nah, I don't even remember the proper title anymore... just kidding, it's into the eternal climate the second part of the title, sorry, I'm just feeling depressed that I wasn't able to published everyone's been waiting for... I feel like I failed a lot of people, it's because of the storm that I lost all the files that I have saved, and now, this is all I could to paid up, well, enjoy.**

**Chapter 2: Reunion with Destiny**

...IS academy, class 1-1

"...This is... a lot more serious than I thought." Ichika sits on the middle front row, with many of the opposite sex staring at him, this is IS academy, the place where they teach IS users out there the basics in manuevering an IS, this is also where they learn proper lessons still as such, even those subject matter that are being taught on normal institutions are being taught here, of course, just because this institute teaches about all about the IS, it doesn't mean it's a non-normal institute for all, in fact, this kind of institute is where one will spend for the rest of their lives wherein they will have no obligations to nations, agencies and any other organizations out there so that the Alaska treaty will be preserved, that is an agreement none of the wisemen council is willing to break, or else it will lead to... well, not that a bloody conclusion is what they are expecting, so best to disregard some personal opinions out there, but casting political manners aside...

"Everyone, congratulations on enrolling here in the academy, I'm Yamada Maya, your vice homeroom teacher onward."

"..."

"..." Though there is already an authority figure upfront, no one bothers to listen, why? Well, there is a saying where a cat is spotted amidst the filthy lair of a dog... no, that's not right, well, to put it simply, everyone's stare is focused on a certain someone in front, whose stare is downward since the stares that he's receiving are just too much so he dare not look back as if facing an executioner.

"E... Eh? Uh... W-Well, let us now go over the basics of the school purpose, this place is designed to..." An holographic lesson cover up is shown, this is not the real lesson just yet, just an introduction to the school's proper goals and their vision for the young students here who might be future IS users, so it might as well be safe to say that they might lead the country soon but... not all are willing to take that path, some are simply willing to learn IS as a way to defend others, that's how it works, then there's the personal IS, where one can bond with it for the rest of their lives. Ichika is not really listening since he frankly knows some half of it, but the other reason is...

"H-Houki." At the far end, sits Shinonono Houki, a childhood friend who he hasn't seen for six years, both have trained on a dojo on their childhood where both a family member, a sister... and a sister get along well, these are Tabane Shinonono and Chifuyu, both are in good terms, sort to speak, that they are frankly the opposite to one another in which the opposite attract the other, it's like a parallel of one's attitude and personality and they get along well as a result, they've been under the same school for about... well, frankly, until they don't attend school anymore, but the problem is... Houki has turned away from Ichika. "H-Hey, is that how you treat a childhood friend you haven't seen for six years? Geez, how cold." Houki has been known to be cold to the point she's like no longer the... well, to some she is described as boyish due to her samurai personality of being cold, stoic and disciplined, but, despite all this, she is easy to get to a quick burst of anger and just lashes out at anyone who is within her... well, those she blames for something trivial has occured or that... she simply can't control herself.

"Ichika..." Without Ichika's notice, she turns back to him. "Ichika, you're here... we're... finally... together... again."

"-So that being said, let us get along well okay?" Yamada asked sincerely.

"..."

"..." Cold respond.

"J-Ja, let us all proceed to the class introduction now okay? Ja, let's see um..."

"Geez, this is bothersome." Not like Ichika did not thought of the timid teacher as cute but those petite... no, those breast, not that either! It's... _blurrgh. _"Gr," Uh oh, here it goes again, that warm, hot thing that is boiling whenever he sees an attractive sight, mainly a woman's body, this type of thing often reacts whenever something like a sexual desire arises, and being in this isolated island that is only consisting of girls isn't helping, it's too much! _blurrgh, bluurgh. _The spinal cord is about to boil up, at this rate, if her timid nature continues, Ichika might as well just snapped it and he might do something that is... well, unexpectedly or rather, something extraordinary like a demon inside him decided to rise up and do something in his case. "Dammit, not good, not good, at this rate, I..." _bluurgh, bluurgh. _The warm blood is starting to get slow in its uprising, which is good, because... right now... "There, it's slowing good, okay, deep breath, relax and..."

"...-kun, Orimura Ichika-kun!" A voice snapped him out of his deep thoughts.

"Eh? H-Hai, I... Gwah!" Bad news, Yamada is frankly close to him to which... the breasts... can be seen... just in front... of the eye... "I- Gmrgh!" He covers his mouth since...

"Hehe." A lot of snickers from around him.

"I... I..." He cannot contain anymore, here it comes... the... the... _bluurgh, blurrgh, blurrrgh, bluuurrrghh...! _Hysteria Zero Syndrome! "Ah." Ichika's expression becomes dull a bit, like he's tired or something but...

"Sorry for raising my voice, we all start at "A" and now we're at "O", so it's your turn to introduce yourself, th-that's no problem right? Huh?"

Ichika stands up. "Oh no need to worry, it's just introduction after all right? So no need to feel burden over it, Yamada-san." He said that with a carefree smile which seems to have surprised everyone in the corner.

"Ichika." Then Houki comes to notice that he's a bit cheerful, unlike he was in the past, well, he was thoughtful and caring to the point he would just go about smiling to anyone when they are down in their moods, but this one... is very cheerful, is the only differentiation she could make out of his personality in the past and the time right now. "..." She keeps observing.

"Well then, I guess I better introduce myself right?"

"Y-Yes, you did say so yes? Y-You better come through." Yamada took Ichika's hands which caught everyone's attention, and then...

"Hai, well then, _ahem._" Like a gentleman excusing himself, Ichika coughed up for a bit then. "I'm Orimura Ichika, I'll be in your care." He said that, then..._ tching, tching. _Like a bunch of burning papers... no, that's not right, the stares of "there must be more right?" and "what's your specialty?" are all gazing upon Ichika. This is all expecting too much, so... "So that being said, I hope we can all get along well, everyone." He said winking at the entire class.

"..." Everyone sort of blush at that.

"Hai, sa, I'll be your care as well, Yamada-san." He then bows before Yamada.

"Oh uh, it's... ha ha, you better call me Yamada-sensei, since I'm... well, I'm your sensei after all right?"

"Hai, sa, let's us all get along well alright?" He said that with a smile, a thumbs up and a wink.

"Eh? Uh... R-Right, we-we will right?" She stammered at that suggestion, sort the least.

"Hai."

"Causing trouble already are you?" Then there's that familiar voice.

"Huh?" Ichika turns to the door to see Chifuyu, the homeroom teacher for this class, Yamada will be the assistant as she said.

"Yamada, how's everything in your end?"

"Oh, Orimura-sensei, is the meeting over?"

"Yeah, it was for a while, but it was decided... _ahem, _we'll talk about that later." With a firm stance, she put down her stuff on the desk then turns to the class. "I'm Orimura Chifuyu, I'll be your homeroom teacher from here onwards, I expect you all to participate eagerly in this class, if you are ask to respond then respond, and even if you're not, you are expected to respond, so behave like proper children if you want to survive the next two years here."

"Kyaah!"

"Onee-sama!"

"The champion of Mondo Grosso! Kyaah!"

"It's her! In the flesh!"

"..." Ichika is astonished just how much people admire Chifuyu, right now however, his mentality is... "Hm, that's my own older sibling for you." He said with a smile... on his mind.

"_Sigh, _I can't believe how many idiots have fallen into my grasp." After introducing herself in front of the class with the tone that may seem like she's expecting the class to fall under her teachings and her instructions, she takes out a sigh and places her hand on her forehead in taking out a little frustration, to be honest, Chifuyu have been dealing with fanatics in her life, no, no, not the religious type of fanatics, but rather... it's her disciples, a bunch of girls who are eager to worship her like a figure of a goddess who can strike down at men to their core, making them obedient servants. "Well," Turning to Ichika, with a clunched fist, "Already the first day and you failed even at the introductions huh?" That was meant to be like something to frighten him, as she knows him quite well, but...

"Ha ha, I humbly apologize Orimura-sensei." Ichika said raising his hands, given that the boiling blood that is on his brain is sort of outstanding and intense, his spinal cord is more sharp than ever and information would come through endlessly and flowlessly, sometimes he even can predict what might happen in the near future, such as...

"Well, you're..." _Twck! _"Wh-Waah!" One pebble is on the ground and Chifuyu stepped on it and she falls.

"Wah!"

"O-Orimura-sensei!"

"Ge!" _Whoosh! _"Huh?" She finds herself in someone's arms.

"Whoa, be careful there Orimura-sensei, someone beautiful as you must not get hurt for something like that, it would broke my heart." Ichika stoop down from his desk and carried her in bridal style before she falls to the ground.

"Ah."

"Ah."

"O..." Everyone is in awe, a brother and sister relationship... what a surprise.

"Uh yes, I... I apologize, a... misconception on my part." Chifuyu said trying to sound casual but... "A-Arigatou, you..."

"Ah, even if it has me to cross a number of borders, I will get to you, Orimura-sensei, for your love, ha ha."

"..."

"..."

"..." Everyone doesn't know whether he's being serious but given that he's not even holding on those chivalrous words, everyone feel like they_ should _take up his words.

"Uh... yeah, well, Yamada, why is there a pebble here?"

"Ah, this room was once used for research purpose, they must have left that out when they were cleaning it, I apologize."

"Well, just make sure that the room is clean when we teach next time."

"Hai, understood, ja, I better..." Yamada steps out to get a broom perhaps.

"Orimura, _ahem, _feel... you can sit now." While trying to hide a blush, this is the second time she got held on by her own older brother in a bridal style to which it sometimes... no, always breakdown all the obstacles around here, that it makes her heart vulnerable sort to speak, he's like... a star to be exact, someone who grants wish. "Then, I ask you to... forget it, just go back to your seat."

"Hai, please careful Orimura-sensei." Ichika sits back to his desk.

"Right well..."

"..."

"..." Everyone is feeling awkward at the atmosphere, the smiling Ichika at the front corner is kinda an interesting sight, it makes them think that perhaps there is more to him right now.

"Well then, I'll explain to you all the basics of IS, first of all, it was..." The first time IS was introduced was when Shinonono Tabane, the famous inventor of such device or equipment, showed it to the world that even exoskeleton armor can be upgraded into something superior and genetically, it can only be used by women, thus, the power balance of men and women have clashed, leading the extinction of the superiority of men over women, and women have become generally arrogant towards them, of course, such men will not take such offense without payback, thus, rebels, which consist of mostly men, or perhaps all men, have lined up to stand up to their "tyranny" as they put it, and Shinonono Tabane was sought out relentlessly and restlessly by the media, but so far, none have been able to locate her, she's very elusive, the only one who knows about her location right now is her own younger sister, Houki Shinonono, though she refuses to take part of anything she's involved so right now, even she doesn't know where she is, probably underground in the 240 kilometers deep below the sea or not, then the other one who knows about it is Chifuyu, her best friend and childhood friend as well, both are known to be very elusive about questions about her whereabouts, though it's true that they both don't know where she is right now, and she probably won't be revealing her location probably not right now at the moment. That and it's because there are some unrest around the world in which terrorism is involved, IS forces are being deployed everywhere to get rid of such threats, right now the wisemen council is discussing about the vacuum power regarding Japan's critical crisis of which IS has pretty much overrun the government to the point that men's occupation within the government and military has all but became extinct, there is really no problem in women running the government but... there are some cases that must be considered regarding men's usefulness, though women would just berate it as something as men's ego not wanting them to take over. "...so that being said, all of you are to choose a role to play in the next courses to come, you can either enter the fighting stage or the defense stage where you will be using IS, if you don't make it out, you best just join the independent clubs around here for your self-worth approval, so I advise you all to listen to us authorities for the months to come."

"Hai!" Everyone said.

"Then, let us begin, we'll start with..." And so the normal lessons begin, the beginning of the first semester, with one male, Ichika, being among the class.

...Lunchtime...

"..." Ichika sits alone in the middle row, with various stares of either compliment or interest earning his way, he's been in here during the entire period, the Hysteria Zero Syndrome has passed on for now, apparently, it lasts at atleast two hours and it will take some time for Ichika to balance things out in his mind, like how the heck is he doing all that crazy stunts that only a few men are able to muster up their guts to do so, in which, some women around here... there are a lot of girls from various class and years outside the class staring his way, some of them are seniors while the rest are freshmen from today's semester. "Ah." Regarding the Hysteria Zero System, Zero Mode in other words, or at least, that's how Ichika would put it, the term Zero can be defined as nothing, as in number 0, but from nothing can also gain infinite possibilities, why? Because like the void or outerspace, everything can come out of nothing and become very a rare thing out of many, well, that's the allegory of it, but the other reference for Zero is because Ichika checked some research regarding the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, he's also looking for that eccentric old guy who implanted such thing into his brain and spinal cord, he must have something in plan that he would put it in him in a surgical way that Ichika felt like a lot of warm, hot blood has infiltrated the nerves around his body and then entered his spinal cord in a faster way that Ichika felt like getting dizzy because of the experience, such a thing is a rare occurrence nowadays, anyway, according to Ichika's research, which he conducted when he was given a time to rest at their house after the incident last night, the term Zero stands for Zoning & Emotional Range Omitted in which whenever the hot blood would arises, it opens his mind to the sixth sense to which he is receiving unstoppable urge to do something,**(Many similarities to the Zero System in a way.)** and he has no choice but to comply to that unstoppable desire of... well, not like he's very dangerous whenever he's in a such a state where he would act very chivalrous, but sometimes he just thinks that maybe it's just too... embarrassing for him whenever he returns to his usual normal state to which he would just recollect on what happened. That and many other things as to why he was given this kind of implanting in the first place, that old eccentric guy offered him fortune telling, then he would be surgically operated with and be implanted by such thing. "I wonder what he was planning to do with me." Come to think of it, that guy was never seen again after that, Ichika asked around after that incident last night if they saw someone with a long nose description roaming around but they claim they saw no one by that description, well, it was night that time, so no one probably saw him in the dark, but the scary part is... no one seems to be matching any of that description, Ichika checks some list of scientist on Chifuyu's laptop back at home, there were a list of geniuses found, including Tabane, but there were no information about a genius such as that eccentric old guy, it was like... he just... disappeared. Like he was just mirage or something, which... sometimes the thought frightens Ichika that he might have stumbled upon someone he shouldn't have met, although... it did proved to be a fateful advantage to him in given circumtances, like how he is going to handle himself here from now on, perhaps the Hysteria Zero Syndrome will be able to pull him through to it.

"Excuse me."

"..." No respond, Ichika is in deep thought right now, there are certain things running in his mind. "I better make sure I stir away from anyone who is within... ah." It's regarding the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, if he stays too close to one girl, he might able to see something that he shouldn't, then the unstoppable urge would rise up again, preventing him from calming down as that is sort of excitement in a way.

"Excuse me, hellow?" The girl waves a hand at his face.

"..." No respond, why? Because deep in his thoughts... 'I'm here on this academy for about... three years? Hm, maybe I should... nah, too much effort, that kind of thing is unafflicted when it comes to Chifuyu-nee, she wouldn't allow me to leave, in fact, I rather be here in many way because someone like that guy the other day might do something to me." After his experience with that eccentric, bizarre old man, he probably won't be seeing any scientist who like to study him by bisecting his... nah, better not go there, too unhealthy for one's mental health and issues, Ichika has problems enough not to get too close to someone here to the point he might see them without bras, shorts, short tanks and... nah, just the thought of it is unnerving! Better not...

"Excuse me, I'm talking to you here!" Someone yelled at his ear, snapping him out of his derangeness of what he is imagining about women's body and more...

"Huh? H-Hai!"

"Mo, you shouldn't be disrespectful whenever someone like my standards is talking to you, how rude, even commoners, no, not even commoners, lower squatters would just ignore someone of my standards."

"...?" Ichika couldn't understand what she is saying as she just swayed her hair in a passionate way of showing that she's an ojou-sama type of character. "Um..."

"Well, I suppose it cannot be help, someone like you will be bowing before their masters after all."

"Uh, do I... know you?" Since she's frankly addressing him without even knowing each other, he just had to ask that, he does know that they're classmates, as he just saw her a while ago, but that doesn't make them close yet.

"Huh?" The girl seems to take that question to offense. "You... You haven't heard of me? Cecilia Alcott?" She leans on his desk and ask that in a rather boastful and hysterical way because...

"Uh... no? I... Gergh!" Ichika was caught off guard as her breast... _blurrgh. _Uh oh. 'Ge, Oh no, s-stop, stop..." He tries to mentally stop the blood arising, this is sort of difficult given the place he is in is full of girls. "Uh... no, I don't know who you are." He said while holding his head, as if to prevent his brain from going hysteria all of the sudden.

"Mo, how rude! Such disrespect is intolerable!"

'Uh oh, I'm not good at dealing with this kind of people. And...' Regarding her breast... _blurgh. _'Geh! Yabe." Just the mere thought of something like that seems to be enough to fuel the blood to rise up in a way that Ichika seems to be in a state where he's stuck in a mud, he doesn't know if this kind of syndrome will remain or one day it will be begone but... it's not like this was his choice but he remembers the fortune telling that mushroom hair guy told him, the hanged man, in the downward position, it represents a fate wherein the individual cannot do anything other than suffer... but in Ichika's case, he received three lucky stars, the star arcana that is, before he flipped the hanged man, which means... one representation of this is this: three stars means lucky... and the reverse hanged man which means inability to do anything is... to sum it all up, Ichika will be lucky... whether he curses it or not. It's a lucky streak it seems... depends on one's point of view. "Ger, dammit, if this keeps up, I'll...' Deciding that he needs to go somewhere far away from here, "Uh sorry, I have to go now."

"Huh? Hey, we're not done yet, come back-"

"Sorry, coming through!" Ichika passes by the crowd outside the classroom, it's lunchtime so he can go out but...

"Hey, come back here!"

"Wha!" Everyone is surprised that they thought Cecilia Alcott is the first to have the guts to pursue him, unlike them.

"H-He's being pursued..."

"It's a chase and run!"

"It's our chance to talk to him, so..."

"Yosh, let's go!"

"H-Hey!" Everyone started running about.

...Meanwhile...

"Yabe, dammit, I need to lay this off on my head." Ichika runs through the corridor while touching his head, as to prevent his brain from jumping out, like that's even possible actually.

Then coming out of the restroom is... Houki. "Hm?" She noticed her childhood friend running while holding his head, which she thinks he must be vomiting or something. "Ichika?"

"Yabe, let's see, um, there must be somewhere where I can get some fresh air, hm... the roof! Yeah, over there." He climbs up to the roof.

"Ichika? Wha-"

"Hey, lowly commoner, stop right there, I command you!"

"Huh?" Looking in the hall, Houki recognized Cecilia Alcott, a representative candidate of England, giving chase to Ichika followed by...

"Orimura!"

"Huh?" A horde of girls, they all passed by her, which... "Ichika, gr," Remembering Ichika's spoiled attitude, or at least, to her it's a spoiled attitude, of attracting anyone to him, mostly girls, well, disregarding that stupid suspicious about bi... nah, better not go there, it's unhealthy, too unhealthy for her, so... disregarding that, Houki clenches her fist. "You weak bastard." She drawed out her sword and gives chase as well.

...At the third year section...

"Let's see, the way to the roof is...?" Ichika made it here after going through the long stairway, you would at least imagine if they could build an elevator here despite all the advanced technology, well, there's that lifter for IS, but that is just for the equipment themselves. "Ah, there it is."

"Hey! I command you stop!"

"Huh?"

"You lowly commoner!" Cecilia and a horde of girls, Houki among them, arrived from the stairway.

"H-Hey, why are you following me? A-Anyway, I... Gr," _blurgh. _It won't stop at this, he's not thinking of anything explicit right now, but because it started a while ago, he needs to cool it down. "Anyway, I gotta go. _Huff, huff._"

"Hey, get back!"

"Ichika, get your worthless butt here now!" Houki said that in a samurai way like with all the girls following.

"Kyaah!"

"He's getting away!"

_Tap, tap! _"Yabe, if they don't stop here, I'll probably enter into that mode again. _huff, huff._" Ichika continues running in the hall while touching his head, as it to prevent the blood from arising, apparently, it takes about at least three or four or more hours before the blood would rise out again, whenever Ichika enters into Zero mode, the blood would go down into a minimum where it will remain unresponsive for about at least three or more hours. Which Ichika is free from its dominion, sort to speak. _Tap, tap. _"Anyway, I need to cool it down a bit." After going through the class session earlie, Ichikas was attentive at first because of the Hysteria Zero Syndrome but when it passed about at least two hours, it died out and he remained dull for the rest of the period, it was a good thing, according to him, but... _ Tap, tap. _"I need to cool down, I need to cool down, I need to cool down, I need to cool... guh," Repeating the same reminded over and over, he didn't really paid attention to his surrounding.

_Slide. _"Hm?" A blue hair female student comes out of the student council room and saw him passed by. "That's..." Recognizing him a bit, everyone seems to recognize Ichika due to his picture being shown in public during the big hit about him being the first male to pilot IS, she sees him as the person who is known to have rescued her younger sister. "He's... oh, so that's what he looks like, hehe." She thought of mischievous stuff as he ran through the hall, while her seeing him off.

"Hey, lowly commoner!" "Ichika!" Then a pack of girls came running by.

"Oh my, what is the commotion about?" The blue hair female student asked.

"Kaichou, there is some business you have to attend to." Another member of the student council called out.

"Oh be right there."

...At the hall...

"Hey lowly commoner, for disrespecting my very presence of not obeying my command, I command you take responsibilities, take command now, bow down!" The horde of girls continue the chase.

"I don't know what you're talking about, just leave me alone for now, I'll make up for everything later!" Ichika, while touching his head still, shouted.

"Then make up for your crimes now!"

"Like hell I have time!"

"Ichika!" Then Houki called out.

"Huh? Oh, Houki, nice to meet you, sorry, there's something I gotta do first, see ya!"

Everyone pondered as to why he knows Houki, so they stopped and thought for a while. "Hey, why are you addressing her face to face and not me? Stand down to my command you lowly dog!" Cecilia said not getting any calmer by the minute.

"I said I'll make up for everything, leave me alone!" Ichika speeds up, passing by some senior students, which blocked the hall, much to his luck, as he now loose them.

"Hey, lowly dog, come back!"

"Ichika!" Houki shouted as well. "That Ichika, sticking into someone else's affair, I'll make him... I'll make him..." With flaming fury, Houki blames Ichika for being... well, mis... perhaps she thought that Ichika would be glad to see her again after many years, she expect him to be very happy in her presence, but instead, she finds him getting more attractive to other girls than ever and so... "Ichika, prepare to... prepare... Heaven punishment!" A lightning struck, not because due to a storm coming or everything, but for a crusade... sort the least, about punishment it seems. "Ichika." Though in some way though...

...Back to Ichika... "That Houki, and I was happy to see her, I guess... she's still the same as ever... distant." Though he's happy to see her again after a long time, the mood became that of a blizzard as Houki thoroughly ignored him awhile earlier, thus, this perfect reunion... is spoiled. Anger seems to ruin anything, as things without reasoning would lead to conflict without any sense at all, it's the same as the war of the beasts, bringing about the end of the world, and the goddess would descend upon to save everyone.**(FF7 fans should know just what is being mirrored here, if they are fans of that famous book that is, that is being carried by a red coated guy, those who know who that is would know this as well.) **But in Ichika's case, he ran out of stamina, if this is an RPG game like the one he and Dan are playing back... nah, no time for looking back at their middle school days, he took a deep breath, then drinks at the drinking fountain nearby, then he wet his hair a bit to loosen up at least some of the heat coming from the boiling blood which is making him sweat due to nervousness and his environment around him that is full of girls, this is gonna be a long year if he could conclude upon what will transpire in the future. "_Sigh, _that Houki, and I was hoping we would go back to the way we were." He's referring to the interactions that they made during their childhood, until the time where IS was introduced and everything broke apart, Ichika was kidnapped by then by some by some unknown group that is said to be working underground, it took about at least a month before Chifuyu would find her younger brother being contained somewhere with rope all around him, he barely acknowledges his surrounding then, why? Because he's mentally broken that day, being abandoned by their own parents and that not even seem to have a spark of hope have answered his prayer, to which Ichika has sort of gave up on the idea of a "God" existing, perhaps it's just religion, but Ichika has noticed that fanatics are lining up for the kill, as if just because people do not share the same belief that they murder one another, that is one of the ugly side of the world, it's barbaric, as such, the true conflict is not fought through weapons, soldiers and armaments, it is fought through questions and beliefs, whether people will accept others point of view is the question, if they will, then there will be peace, if they don't... there would be bloodshed to be filled on the streets, cities and other places, Ichika knows that too well. After wetting a bit his face, Ichika turns to the view over the fence, it's quite a lovely scenery around here, Ichika can see the entire city at the mainland, he wonders what a certain someone is doing now, that someone is a friend in middle school, he's probably playing something at the arcade with his younger sister berating as usual for his laid back demeanor, that and many other more... like a blind rage in fact, Ran would just sometimes beat up some sense out of him, though her actions herself are quite... senseless themselves, like a gauntlet that... nah, better not think about that. "_Sigh,_" Right now, Ichika needs to focus on what will be his standards in this school, "I need to hook up with... Hm, they say that the dormitories around here would require at least one roommate, does this mean..." He thought of hooking up with someone he knows, other than a complete stranger being his roommate, that would be too awkward for him to bear. Though his situation is already awkward as it is. Then the signal to signify that lunch has ended rings, bringing Ichika back to his senses that he needs to go back in class unless he wants to suffer his sister's wrath about retribution, sort to speak. "Oh well, I guess there's no use dwelling on it, I'll find out soon enough." He returns to class among the rest of the students wandering the hall, then they all turn to him as he passes by, much to his dismay, as he doesn't like being the center of attention much, well, the hanged man reminder still lingers in his mind, which he curses... whether that is a wrong point of view or not, he's blessed in a way such as that eccentric old guy said when he read his fortune.

...Then right just near Class 1...

"Ichika." Someone calls out.

"Huh? Oh, Houki, what is it? Class is about to..."

"Um, about earlier..." The reunion of this two childhood friends is finally going underway but... clenching her fist. "Um, about earlier, sorry I... well..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"W-Well..." Turning around... She holds out to something and... "N-Nice to have you around, I... I... You have grown weak!" ...What a nice greeting, grown weak huh... she's probably referring to how Ichika did not practice kendo anymore after his departure to the dojo where they used to train together, thus... he became weak as she said, though that is just exaggerating things.

"Huh?" Even Ichika is confused at that.

"W-Well, I heard... you... you'll be having a personal IS."

"Huh? A-Ah, I guess so." Right, the Byakushiki, the former IS of Chifuyu, will be given to him, courtesy that it's the IS that responded to him when he touched it, during that fateful day at the examination hall.

"Then..." It's about Ichika regarding his skills in manuevering in IS, about how he will swing a sword too in fact, maybe he's gone soft, Houki seeks to reciprocate that kind of attitude, so... "I'll give you training."

"Eh?"

"I said I'll give you training!"

"H-Hai, okay, but..." 'What's with her all of the sudden? I have enough in my mind to think about, my brain can't think clearly right now because of some emotional range balance that is echoing on my... guh.' Right, he can feel the Hysteria Zero Syndrome rising up again, specially... "Guh." Looking at Houki, she has really become... well, redifined in a way that Ichika did not expect her to... become a bishojo and her breasts... guh, they've become very large, like she's no longer the same Houki that Ichika used to hang out, well, aside from the body, she's still the same Houki with the same personality as ever, but... concerning the breasts... they're quite attractive so... _blurrgh. _"Geh," Not again. "Y-Yabe." _Blurrgh, blurrgh, blurrgh. _boiling, boiling. "Better think clearly, better think clearly, better think clearly..." Ichika keeps repeating that in his mind as he attempts to gross out the sudden swell of blood that is arising, it's becoming unstable. "Dammit, I just cooled down a while ago, I need to..."

"Anyway, Ichika, I would like to..." Houki makes a speech while...

"Dammit, Ichika, think cleary, empty your head, let's see there's that... oh right, a pi. pi is..." All sort of weird numbers flow through his mind, though he doesn't really understand what they are, they're just symbols and nothing else, it only matters to the sense that they make sense and those who lose themselves in such symbols might be considered as an incoherent thinker or so, but... "Pi is... Pi is... Guh, I lost count, I can't think anymore!" Ichika gave up and...

"...I'll be honored to..." Houki is offering to become a trainer for him in manuevering IS but... there is always a catch, and then...

"Houki!"

"H-Hai? What is it?" She is taken aback by his sudden outburst.

"Houki, I..." He's thinking of a way that he doesn't think about those huge breasts of hers so... "Houki, I..."

"...?"

"I like..."

"..." Here it comes.

"I really like dignified girls."

"...?" Huh? What does that mean?

"So... I'll be leaving you now, and don't- No, I won't bother you again, Shinonono-san!" He sped off, thinking that was enough to make her go to the other direction or in the classroom, to which she may not follow, but, as always, there is a catch...

"H-Hey, what does that mean? You're telling me you rather be trained by someone else? Ichika..." He said he likes dignified girls meaning... Houki... is not... dignified... which... _ablaze. _Flames of fury. "Ichika... Ichika, you weak... bastard, pay for what you have done!" ...What has he done exactly? It'll be more like, "you insulted my pride, now pay for it!", that line of thinking is very familiar for a samurai girl.

...At the hall...

"Dammit, this is getting ridiculous, how many hallways have I passed by now?" Ichika needs to calm the vibes around his head, if he does not, that demon, which he describes, will rise up again and take control of things.

"Oh, it's Orimura-kun!"

"Oh, hey Orimura!"

"Orimura-kun!" Three girls, all of which are familiar to Ichika since one of them... no, all of them are classmates, one of them however is probably the most noticeable one with her long sleeve dress being attractive, well, not like this type of clothing is not permitted but, is she planning to go back to class on that? No, she has a spare uniform inside, oh well, the real problem now is...

"Ichika, come back here!" Houki, who has drawn out a sword, gives chase.

"Uwa, a game of tag, I'm in! Yoho!"

"H-Hey, Nohohon-san! Come back!"

"Hey, wait for me!" The three of them join the chase.

...They run throughout the entire campus without catching any break, apparently, Ichika knows when to expand his endurance, Chifuyu often allows him to train at the park back at the city, where she prepares some both mental, as well as physical, training for the boy, she would allow him to run in circles to improve his endurance then a few push ups and some, but after the incident with his kidnapping, that is no longer case so... "Guh, dammit, Houki, you should get back to class or else Chifuyu-nee will-"

"I don't care about that, and you will address her as "Orimura-sensei", now get in here for your punishment!"

"Like what did I do!"

"Uwa, this is fun!"

"Yeah, it feels like an endurance test."

"_huff, huff, _hey, can't we stop for a bit?" The three girls join this game of tag sort to speak. Houki is being unreasonable as usual, sometimes Ichika would receive beatings from her back at the dojo and Ichika... well, he doesn't mind it since the mentality is the real common factor to conflict so...

...Later that night... at the dormitory

"_Sigh, _what a day, too much running." Ichika said holding his stuff as he heads for his assigned room in the dormitory section, he stands before a room with the number 1025, it seems to be a luxurious room. "Oh, this is it? Uh, excuse me." There's supposed to be homeroom here, who... that was Yamada perhaps, as she is the one supervising in Chifuyu's stead, she's the homeroom assistant advisor who watch over the students here, to ensure they don't do anything... well, explicit, and right now, Ichika knocks and opens the door to see if he has a roommate here as he was told to. "Is there... Ah." He is suddenly stunned at the luxury of this place, two beds, a warm blanket, the interior is almost like that of a penthouse's room and there is a balcony where one can see the entire view of the calming sea. "Whoa, whoa, wow." He looks around astonished. "Wow, this is... I could get use to this." He laid his stuff on the floor and sits on the bed.

"Ah sorry for not responding too early." A voice said.

"Ah, it's okay but... Huh?"

"Sorry, I didn't introduced myself first." The one covered in towel is...

"Uwa... uwa." _blurrgh, blurrgh. _"Uh no." Ichika holds his head, at this extreme sight, he can't hold it out, the demon... the demon... the demon...!

"I'm Shinonono Houki, nice-" Meeting of two childhood friends again. "Ah..."

"H-Houki."

"I-Ichika... what are you..."

"I... uh..."

"You... Get out!"

"Wh-Whoa!" _Swing! _Another dodge of a swing of sword. "Hey, that's dangerous!"

"No more dangerous than you barging in! Hiya!"

"H-Hey!" The sword hit the door, making the number plate sticking outside fall, then some girls came to notice that on the floor as they are headed for dinner. Ichika is going to have one soon but due to this extreme situation, his appetite diminished. "Whoa, whoa! Guh!" He is cornered on the wall.

"You damn bastard, you would dare to barge in here will you, I will... make you feel heaven's punishment!" She charges forth.

"Guh!" _Stab! _He ducked, subconsciously dodging the sword but... "Guah!" The breasts in towel is within sight, this is... "I... I..." _blurrgh, blurrgh, blurrgh...! _There's no preventing it... here... it... comes! Hysteria Zero Syndrome! "...Houki." He begun to speak in a cool, calm tone.

"Excusing yourself into this situation is- Huh?"

He calmly shook off her hand from the sword. "That's dangerous, that's no way for a bishojo like you should behave." He said smirking.

"Huh? What are you- Hmgnh!" He kissed her. "Hmrrngh!" She drops the sword as a result. 'I-Ichika, I..."

Then he broke off. "Arigatou, it's thanks to you, I'm... I won't be alone."

"Eh?" She touches her lips as he said that.

"If I'm a roommate to a stranger, I don't know how I will react, so, arigatou."

"I-Ichika, you..."

"Say, why don't we go back to our relationship that time, you, me, Chifuyu-nee... we'll be family."

"Ichika..." This is quite a touching scene, Ichika's smile is melting her heart away. "Ichika..." She drops the sword... and then the towel... leaving her only... well, with bra and panties and... what else can say? "Ichika, I..." Then the two of them laid, forget about dinner, this will be a reunion with destiny in this room with the number of 1025. "Ichika, hm, hm." She smiles, embracing him warmly, the reunion of childhood friends, how touching.

End of Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Note: I suppose it'll be a waste of time if I keep bemoaning myself for the lost of my other story, so I guess... since I got a lot of catching up, I decided I might as well update this new story with every... well, as fast as I can I guess, it might even just take about one day before a new update is submitted, well, here I go, I'll try to appeal everyone and try to catch up what I have lost, okay, here I go!**

**Chapter 3: Watch and Observe, An Ojou-sama's dilemma**

...At room 1025

"Mn, mnrg, ah." Ichika wakes up groggily, after everything that has happened, he's having a hard time coping up with some things around here like... "Hm?" Houki sleeps on the other bed, last night was... well, fun as well as... disturbing, why? Because... the demon... Hysteria Zero Syndrome, Ichika likes to refer to it as demon for a lot of reasons, including sexual... nah, just the thought of it makes it sound wrong in many ways, a wonder how the heck did that eccentric old guy created something like this, he's been missing ever since that night,**(This character in the story who implanted the Hysteria Zero Syndrome on Ichika bears a striking resemblance with Professor G from gundam wing like the mushroom shaped hair and his long nose but the personality is completely different, if you must know.) **Ichika cannot figure out as to why he gave such implant onto him in the first place, it did served him as well as... make him cursed, according to him anyway, due to him being like... well, one might put it an hysterical maniac who would just go about crazy about stirring away from girls whenever he feels... something like boiling into his head, makes no mistake, the reason why he stirs away from girls is not because he's scared or afraid... or even hate them but rather... whenever he enters into that state, he cannot help but recollect on the things that he does whenever he enters into that state, if he keeps this up... he might not represent himself as the same Ichika as ever, the Ichika he knows is... well, one must know one self before figuring out the future yes? Because one lacking knowledge about one's self is pretty much like being dense, or naive or many other things that is oblivious, speaking of oblivious... "Ah, Houki, why do you have to wear something like that when you are asleep?" It's better than not wearing anything but... Houki... in just plain underwear that is... what one can say? Bras, panties... nah, better stop there, fortunately, the blood isn't arising, must be because it was used twice once a day the other day... well, yesterday actually, the day time and during night time, right now... it's night... well, it's still early in the morning and it's dark outside so... it's still night perhaps? Ichika checks the time, it's 2 'o clock in the morning. "Au, I woke up too early." Ichika is used to waking up early in the morning, since he's the one doing the housechores back at the Orimura residence and all and Chifuyu would like to leave early as well, both are getting along well in running things in the house, like Chifuyu is the one going to work while Ichika would remain in the house to watch over it, like a husband... and... nah, better not go there, there's no way Chifuyu would think of herself as a wife... specially for him... or so he thinks. "_Sigh, _what should I do now? Hm?" A light passed by, it must be a lighthouse... wait, is there a lighthouse on IS academy? "What is...?" Not really much to do, Ichika cannot sleep because once he wakes up, he's having a hard time hitting the pillow again, unless of course, if he's tired. He goes to the balcony only to... "Huh?" There's a chopper in-bound, an helicopter in other words, in the army, that's the term for it if one can be so... well, persuasive in some sense that it can make one's easier to identify an helicopter that is attacking, this one is... for transport, as its original purpose is from the beginning. "What the..." It lands near the shore with a certain someone waving at it... it's Cecilia. "Cecilia Alcott?" Ichika took notice to remember name, due to all the shouting yesterday where they ran through the hall, her exclaiming things to remember her name at least for one as one of those things that she was yelling, and now here, in this early morning, a chopper is inbound for who knows what purpose. "What the... What's going on?"

The helicopter landed near the shore, with some sands being blown away, Cecilia approaches the helicopter. "Chelsea, what is the meaning of this?" She asked one of the maids inside, who is carrying a bazooka for some reason.

"Ojou-sama, forgive our rudeness, but... there were some matters that concern you that recently went to the public."

"And that is? I don't have time to deal with such impervious matters that does not concern me."

"Unfortunately, ojou-sama, this might end up with the Alcott family... this may end up that your family and the inheritence might get deprived of..."

"What? Wh... Why is that so?"

"Well apparently... some men from Russia wanted to... well, they demand that the IS production for the third generation IS are to be completed but... under certain circumtances... this company that is supposedly aid our ideal is... well..."

"What is their demands?" This is political matter.

"Hm?" Ichika, who is standing at the balcony, could tell that something serious is going on, though he's pretty uninterested in some political matter, he knows when to involve himself in such a way that perhaps despite Cecilia's antagonistic nature towards him, she may be perhaps desperate and besides, not all people are exactly what others may expect of them, that is the nature of the world, a world of conflict no doubt. "What is... going on there? Hm, maybe... Huh?" It's raining, some raindrops alarmed him of that. "What now... it started raining."

"Ah." Cecilia is soaked by the rain, but it's not bothering her since there are more important matters at hand, like should her family be wiped out from the records among the most noble families in England, that would... her family... her parents... it will be... like they never existed at all, even though she gave it she got, she still... no, she cannot accept that. "So you're telling me, our family fortune is..."

"Hai, I'm afraid so, everything is in jeopardy, I don't know what I can do ojou-sama, the meeting will be taking place at the flight 3.12 and there, we will meet the high supreme council men onboard and we'll all be present to protect and ensure that they protect the inheritence."

"But, dealing with those people... is the inheritence in jeopardy still?"

"That we don't know, the government isn't responding to our plea, they claim that everyone has right to lay claim to the family inheritence, there's not much we can do, except... well, we have to accept any proposals the Russian government has, if we don't..."

"..." Cecilia hangs up her head, pondering on what to do.

"..." Ichika didn't bother getting soaked as well, something must be bothering, he's standing by the balcony by the way. "What's going to happen...?"

"Ja, wha if..." Cecilia spoke up.

"Ojou-sama?"

"What if I... find the right man, who..."

"Ojou-sama..."

"The government, they said they will protect the family inheritence right? That's the reason... that's the reason why I wanted to study harder and learn to master my personal IS, the blue tears but... it's still not enough." Though women are the superior and dominant gender at this era at the moment, they still have some flaws, as those who claim to be invincible are rather just exaggerating or being too delusional about the power they have mustered, things have always been like that but... A shooting star passed by... "I wish..." With tears flowing through the young ojou-sama's eyes, she wished for something... "I wish... the best man on Earth... would... court me... and... protect me."

_Flash! _A shooting star passed by, below is Ichika who is like being reflected by it, signifying that perhaps... a wish... is granted... through... "Hm?" ...someone capable of bringing happiness. "Why do I..." Ichika feels like a string is pulling that is similar to the red thread, if such a thing exist, and he feels like... he's up for something special... today. "Why do I get the feeling...?"

"Hm... Ichika." Houki wakes up. "Hm? Ichika, why are you... Why are you soaking in the rain!" Houki wakes up... without... well, she's still in her clothing of... that consist only of bra and panties.

"Oh, Houki, you- Gyah!"

"Hm?" Looking down. "W-Wa-Ah!" She covers herself on the blanket. "Wha-What are you doing there?"

"Oh sorry." He steps in. "I was uh... well..."

"You're soaking, here, you could-"

"Gwaah! S-Stay-!" It's a good thing that the Hysteria Zero Syndrome isn't working right now, must its day off or something, but the problem now is that Houki removed the blanket, perhaps it's her intention for Ichika to see... well, this was last night that they spent in the same bed then overtime, when Ichika's Zero mode subsided, he just left Houki covered in blanket in the bed near the door then he moved to the other bed, there are two beds here by the way, it's like an hotel suit, it's luxurious in terms of words and description, well, that's about it, the other thing that is unique here is... well, a boy and girl living or staying in the same room, isn't that unique? Well, that aside...

"Don't complain, here, let me cover you with this." Houki gives him a towel and it covered his face.

"Oh uh, thanks." He sits next to each other on the bed near the balcony. "But Houki, what..."

"What?"

"Uh... are you... okay... in that... um, attire?" ...There isn't an attire, but there are... well... underwear of... better not mention it through his mouth.

"Hm?" Looking down. "What's wrong with it?"

"Huh?" Ichika finds that odd, normally, or not, Houki would just plunge into a burst of anger and... well, chop on the head, limb and... the brain, no, the head, the brain is protected by the skull so... and speaking of brain, so far Ichika is still not feeling the effect of the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, it did helped, he admits, but... it leaves him pondering after it does whatever it wants, Ichika calls this other side, sort the least, as well... a demon since... like Adam was corrupted by a woman, Eve, men's weakness are women and the one that... nah, that's just the words of fanatics, it's not may even true as people are constantly at war against their beliefs but... that's not the problem, it's Houki, she's... well, in Ichika's perspective, she's acting weird for not getting embarrassed at her attire, which is no attire at all, to which Ichika is allowed to see and... "Uh, well..."

"Stop complaining already, here, let me..."

"H-Hey."

"What? You got a problem?"

"Uh, no I..."

"Then sit still, you're soaked in wet."

"A-Ah." He lets her do her thing, she scrubs every part of his body, including... _toink. _"Huh? H-Hey, not there!"

"What? You also wet at your shorts, you-"

"Don't go there, that's my sensitive part!" Ichika is referring to his p****.

"What? You're acting weird." Perhaps due to ordeal last night that Houki isn't afraid to become... well, if one is not sensitive about touching one's body parts, perhaps... they are not lecherous as one might think but... it's still a sensitive side for both men and women, and Houki... being sort of touched by what transpired last night, Ichika made her happy with that kiss which may have been the major factor for her behaviour right now.

"Ah well, h-hey, look, it's just about 2:30 in the morning, we should get back to sleep." Since they have nothing to do, and Ichika has become drowsy because of this crazy development, he suggested that.

"Oh right, well, good night."

"Good night." He said that with a dull expression. "_Sigh, _I still have a long year ahead of me." It'll be a long year indeed, with the Hysteria Zero Syndrome still lingering, his life might get complicated than he thinks, well, let us see what will transpire... today.

...6:45 in the morning...

"_Yawn, _hm." Ichika gets up from his bed and stepped out to get out and at least see if the morning is still fresh, this early morning was crazy enough with Houki acting strange, according to him, and then... he wonders what he saw that time with Cecilia discussing with someone in that helicopter, apparently that meeting was not known to the authorities around here and in what Ichika knows is that agencies, organizations and other kind of group are not allowed to step put here unless authorized, thinking about last night, was that allowed? An in-bound chopper landing near the sea shore, then it took off, what could it mean? "Hm?" Just then a bunch of girls stepped out of their rooms in homestyle, short tanks, shorts, no bras... what else one can say? _blurrgh. _"Murgh!" Uh oh, the demon is back, it's here to hunt. "Mmrngh!" He steps inside the room 1025 again.

"Hm? Was that..."

"Orimura-kun?" Everyone wonders on why he was in such a hurry.

"Is that his room?"

"Isn't that Shinonono-san's room?"

...At room 1025

"Hm? Ichika?" As Houki prepares in her uniform, she notices Ichika is wetting his head too much.

"Ah well, I'm feeling a little... hot." That's one way of putting it, Ichika first wet his hair to make the surface of his head wet, as in to cool off the blood, then he laid down his face on the sink and allow all the water to wash away all the... well, not like wetting himself will make the blood stop rising, but this is the first thing he has to do in order to "cool off" his head a bit, it's not like he has a fever or he's mad, well, assuming that one's blood will boil if angry anyway, but this is all he could think of, and it does work for some reason that he is able to clear his mind of... well, sexual scenes that pop up from here and then. "Well, it's time for school right? Will we have breakfast first?"

"Ah, at the cafeteria, you best go there if you want to eat."

"Ah, okay."

After wetting his head a bit, he put on his uniform then went to the cafeteria with Houki.

...Cafeteria...

"Hey, is he that famous boy?"

"Orimura Ichika right?"

"Chifuyu-sama's younger brother?"

"..." As Ichika eats alongside Houki in this huge hall of a cafeteria, as usual, a lot of girls begun taking notice of him for two reasons: one, is because he's the only boy around here, the other is... well, he's the only IS user who is a boy, which makes no difference, but perhaps the most probably better description is that he's the younger brother of Chifuyu, the former champion of the Mondo Grosso, whose reputation is that of someone who is revered as both a beauty and strength, that much is certain, but... even the one who is revered as almighty or invincible has their own flaws as well, there is no such thing as flawless, those who think otherwise will just be living in a delusional world, that is why, those people who are fanatics of churches religions are might as well be labelled insane if they think they will be "delivered" sort to speak by some almighty omnipotence being who is not maybe even real, or existing for that matter. That's the source of arrogance nowadays, people claim that those who believe will be saved, or that those who are faithful will be the almighty ones, the church can be arrogant in some way that they think they're right without really explaining their reasoning, this is why sometimes the government would like to intervene in such manner that fanatics might just ended up killing others for their religion, it's barbaric that's for sure. "..." Ichika eats slowly as Houki is eating right beside him, the reason why he's eating slowly is because... he's wondering about how he will handle the demon in him, if he gets all excited for something that is a rare sight... no, not exactly rare sight, but it would make some men excited... perhaps most... or all men would get excited over such sight, but he better not think of using such sights in order to trigger the Zero mode or else he'll be labelled as a maniac for such things, or worse, a sicko.

"Hm? What's the matter Ichika?" Houki has finally noticed his strange behavior, not exactly strange but he is very cautious of the environment like he's watching out for something. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Uh no, I..."

"Let me see your temperature." Ever since the incident last night, wherein Houki went very aggressive towards Ichika, she has been rather... affectionate towards him, after their fated reunion, she hasn't been exactly open to him, but after what happened last night, where she felt like all the happiness of the world gathering around her, she feels like she can go back to the girl she was once before she left the dojo, of how she would like to get close to Ichika whenever possible, and Chifuyu and Tabane were taking notice of that, perhaps Chifuyu didn't mind but Tabane was sure enthuastic whenever they would be together, especially if Ichika would do something for her, meaning making Houki happy since she can't do herself because of... issues.

"Eh?" Houki touches Ichika's head. "H-Houki, what are you..." Staring at her breasts... they have grown... _blurgh, blurgh. _"Ge, y-yabe." Touching his head, he calms himself down. "Stay calm, stay calm." Ever since it started to get active, Ichika seems to have some little control of the blood arising, he would simply... well, if the right emotion is there, it seems he can prevent it from taking over him, but still, it would react to a certain degree whenever he feels a vibe on his hormones, sort the least.

"Hm, you're not sick and..." Touching her own forehead to see if they have the same temperature, Houki concluded that he's fine. "Hm, you're fine, well, I wouldn't worry about- Hm? Ichika, you have a rise at your cheek."

"Eh? Oh, I see." There's a small rice piece on his left cheek near his mouth.

"Here, let me take it off."

"Eh?" She took the rice... and swallowed it.

"Hm, it's tasty."

"Uh yeah, it is huh? Ha ha."

"..." The other people around here couldn't believe what they saw, Houki tasting a rice that was on Ichika's cheek, this is like.

"Mm, is she...?"

"Does she have a relationship with Orimura-kun?"

"Who is she?"

"I know her, she's the famous Tabane Shinonono's younger-"

"Hurry up with your breakfast, homeroom session will begin soon." Chifuyu arrives here in her jogging suit, she's wielding a wooden sword unless someone suddenly mustered up the courage to stand up to her, she's a figure of fear for all in here to those are undiciplined, such is the way of a spartan disciplining a lion to obey and be a target practice in a colesium. Well, if the beast disobey, a whip, in Chifuyu's case, a sword, is the weapon that will discipline them, so... no one dare to go an oppose them.

"Ah."

"Ichika, here, you'll starve if you don't eat well."

"Eh? Oh ah, arigatou."

"Hm." Chifuyu observes the two childhood friends, they're getting along well, almost too well. "..." 'Shinonono, I thought... hm.' She figures something must have happened to the two of them, she knows they're roommates but if they did something together... 'What... Why am I suddenly feeling like this? Gr, it's annoying.' She said that mentally.

"Orimura-sensei, I got to talk to you for a moment." Yamada comes.

"Oh, Yamada, is it here?"

"Hai, um, Orimura-kun, after the first session, can you come to the faculty office later?"

"Eh? A-Ah, sure but..."

"We got something to give you, make sure you arrive there, ja, all of you, hurry up with your breakfast and head for the homeroom immediately." Chifuyu said as she leaves with Yamada.

"Hai!" Everyone said.

"Homeroom after session... hm, wonder what it is." Ichika ponders on that.

...Later, at homeroom session

"-Well then, let us discuss further okay? Righ, so the thrusters are..." Yamada continues to demonstrate how the thrusters of an IS can be boosted through a large amount of accelerating motion that can be use through imagination, as the IS function through how the user imagine its angle, direction and acceleration, it can be applied through force of will as well, as the bond between the machine and the human is applied, it can also be directed that whatever touches the IS, can also be felt by the user, as that bond is so strong that one of which is like the two of them have become one, like partners on a battle, only the IS provide more armament and strength. Normally, this bond of IS and humans can be applied through only the personal IS that are only given to representative candidates, those who are given as such are considered and revered as the most elite unit of every government, there are many as such in IS academy, the student council president is said to be having the honor of being the strongest of such that her position defines her clearly, and she's the one leading the IS force around here, other than the instructors themselves, take note also that almost... no, all of the inhabitants of IS academy are all women, with the exception of the new arrival of Ichika which sparks a new environment around here, most girls are interested in him since they sort of lack any male interaction ever since... ever since... well, not like they ever spoke with any male in their lifetime but, during their time here in the academy, the only thing they have come to know of males is through manga which are eroge mostly, even instructors read them as the rumor say, since it is girls' nature to gossip and know about some things, it is no surprise that they are interested in boys in many ways, perhaps some love struck girls out there would point out that girls without boyfriends are virgins, which is rude, so the girls here are aiming for the just reward... Ichika.

"..." Ichika is flipping both his finger hands through and through throughout the whole session, he's having a hard time comprehending the lessons, there's that circuit there, then the panel there, and the weapon pods there, and the energy wherein IS weapon are charged can be... nah, this is all too much all at once, he needs a copy of a lesson plan in order to fully cover up all these long list of terms on the holographic board in front, Yamada is using a stick to change the page through a holoscreen that is far advanced technology like most the rest. "Hm?" He then noticed something amidst the classroom, Cecilia Alcott, someone he known through name and details that were spoken by his classmate, that one known as Nohohon-san informed him of the details, she's supposedly of the rich family from England that is known to have a large influence in the country, apparently, something urgent called by, as he was informed earlier by some classmates who also noticed her disappearance, there is also a word coming around that she might not attend school anymore, which is disturbing. "She's not here huh?"

"Orimura-kun, is something troubling you?"

"Eh? Oh uh- Gee!" Uh oh, breast on sight, which is... "Ge..." _blurgh, blurgh. _There it goes, it's still at a resting stage so it did not immediately took over for a while. "Uh... S-Sensei?"

"Hai, Orimura-kun?"

"I..." Quite frankly he doesn't understand any of which that were discussed just now. "I... I..."

"Orimura, did you understand the lesson? Or were you just dozing off?" The devil herself asked the dreadful question, such disobedience is...

"Uh... uh..." Chifuyu's attendance book is sharp as ever... so... "...no." _Bunk! _A critical hit, to the forehead, Ichika fell on his head on the back as the attendance book lies on the ground. "Guh, how merciless." He said before losing consciousness, well, it's pitch black right now, for him.

...At student council room

"Oh, is that so?"

"Hai, there were reports about IS not functioning properly, your younger sister Sarashiki Kanzashi is said to have been able to cause some of which to function, she was recommended to be the one watching over them."

"No, don't do that, she has enough on her shoulders." The president turns around to see the entire view of the academy from where she is sitting. "I don't wish to give more trouble for her as she is, I heard she recently got involved in a terrorist attack."

"Hai, that is correct, it is said that she was rescued by the new student, Orimura Ichika, instructor Orimura's younger brother."

"Eh, wow, I'll be sure to thank him... properly, hehe." One can wonder what she means by "properly", does she mean like giving him a wad of money? Being graceful to him? Or... "Hehe, I'll make sure my underwear is cleaned at this moment from now on." ...or maybe it's something secretive and mischievous for a teenager, well, one might as well see right? A fortune teller surely cannot tell what will transpire at this point.

...Meanwhile, at class 4

It's now breaktime, everyone is chatting happily with the exception of a blue hair student who is typing on the side near the window. "..." No, she's reading manga, on the internet it seems, they are allowed to access through it but her personal laptop seems to be of a wireless band that it allows her to connect from a nearby source, what that is is unknown, but that aside, she's the only one not conversing with anyone around, either maybe because she's shy or... maybe she's someone who is not understood by others and thus, she prefers to be by herself since no one will understand her anyway. "..." Recently though, she was just saved by a boy who is like a hero in manga who follows his own code and sense of justice, that fateful day became memorable to her in many way, she's like been blessed by the stars above and now perhaps, there will be a change of situation for her in many, many ways. "I didn't even asked for his name..." She didn't need to though, after that incident, he became widely known by others around in the academy, everyone knows him actually, except not all know him by appearance, just by name, Sarashiki Kanzashi knows his appearance as well as his name, she wonders if she will see him again, well, he's here so... maybe? "..." If she does meet him though, what will she say? She already thanked him for saving her that day but she never really get to talk to him much, she think of herself talking to a hero in manga who would show up in time just to save her, well, assuming of course if there was a plot where the hero showed up time for a heroine when they are in danger. "..." The sounds of keyboard keeps echoing. "Right then, I better get lunch before I continue reading." She took care not to go to the next page until she accessed her laptop again, then she stands up from her desk and steps out of the class. A lot of students were going onto the same direction as her though none talked to her. "_Sigh,_" She's used to such things, she cannot even comprehend what they're talking about, unlike her, they're talking about what they might do this afternoon at the shopping district, students are allowed to leave the island isolated for IS users and go shopping at the city, though the idea is free, Kanzashi is not much of an outgoing person, so she stays in toes around.

"Hey, excuse me please, move out of the way please!" Someone dashed in a hurry amidst the hordes of girls.

"Wah!"

"Wha- Orimura Ichika?"

"Eh? It's him? That boy who..."

"Huh?" Kanzashi turns her star upfront, there, the hero who came to save her that day, is within sight. "Wa..."

"Ah sorry, coming true, sorry!" He's passing through the crowd in the hurry while touching his head, as if something is wrong with it, he's going to the restroom it seems, there's only restroom here reserved for him, since all of the students and other people in the island are girls, that one is only for him.

"..." She sees him off. "Orimura... Ichika." That's the name she remembers so clearly, so nostalgia, why? Because... after their fateful encounter, it felt like a string of fate has been pulled and Kanzashi felt like she would get to know him soon enough, and perhaps, right now is... "..." _throb, throb. _'Wh-What is this? Why am I.. feeling... pain... in... my chest, I...' Not much pain as other than nervousness, and that pain can be usurped by joy of the sight of the boy. "..." She started to move her legs, but her mentality is quite blank, as thought as if she's moving her body unconciously, like a teenager acting without thinking but... she doesn't mind, she follows the boy to a nearby restroom.

_Splaash- _"_huff, huff, _ah, that was close." He seems to have wet his face, and his hair, he seems to be cooling down for some reason.

"...? Why is he...?" Hiding just outside the restroom, some girls murmur that Kanzashi seems to be... lecherous for some reason that she's actually waiting for someone inside the restroom for boys, not much boys of course, there's only one person who goes through here and that someone is well-known throughout the island.

"Ah, that should cool it off, wouldn't want myself to just suddenly burst off somewhere without thinking." He seems to have cool down a bit, he used the nearby towel to dry up his hair then stepped out which... "Hm?"

"Ah." A fateful encounter, again.

"You..."

"..."

"Hey, it's you, you're..."

"Hm," She left abruptly.

"H-Hey!"

"I can't, he'll just... he'll just leave me, like many others."

"H-Hey, what did I... huh?" Staring at her as she runs off, her uniform is quite short in length, allowing... to see under her uniform... which... panties... blue... "W-Wah!" _blurrgh! _Then suddenly, the flashback of that night where she was halfly stripped came, allowing... "Gurrgh," _blurgh, blurgh, blurgh...! _That was enough, it can't be stopped now... _blurgh, blurrgh, blurrgh...! _Hysteria Zero Syndrome! _Flash! _"..." Ichika regains his composure and hangs his head high. "Ah, ha ha." He begins to smirk in a... well, seductive voice.

"Hm? Hey, isn't that...?"

"Orimura Ichika?" Some females begun to take notice of him.

"Ha ha, what a fine day, I wonder what I'll have for lunch." He suddenly turns around in a cheeful way then begun to walk playfully towards the cafeteria.

"...?" Much to the girls' wonder too.

...Cafeteria...

There are a lot of students here, Ichika plans to go to the faculty after eating, since Chifuyu asked him to. He's eating alone on one of the desk at the side. "Orimura-kun, can we sit beside here?" Then Nohohon-san, temporary name, and her other two friends asked to sit beside him.

"Hm? Oh sure, nothing more like for a man to gain happiness by allowing a lady to sit right? In fact, I'll be happy to give you my seat." He said picking up his tray of food while smiling then standing up.

"Oh no no, you don't have to move, we'll sit beside you." The other two giggle at his words of chivalry while blushing, the three are blushing in fact, he keeps a smiling face for a while now.

"Oh is that so, then what an honor for me, please have a seat."

"Yosh, arigatou." They all sit there.

"So, want to have some of my condiments? Here, you can have some..." He offers some service.

"Oh no no, we're fine with what we have. Hm? Orimura-kun, don't you think you're eating too much?" Nohohon-san and the others noticed that he ordered expensive and quite meaty food.

"Oh this, why I need much energy since I spend a lot of time during nighttime, and I do use some of my strength to preserve myself for the day since I always do housechores back at our home." He refers to both his and Chifuyu's home, the Orimura residence.

"Oh, I see."

"What about you? Isn't that a bit few for you?"

"Oh, because we..."

"We eat a lot of snacks during night time!" Nohohon-san happily said.

"Oh, I see." Ichika quickly guessed just what sort of girls they are, the cute, pokey, and quite obnoxious but not really obnoxious in a way that they tend to always have fun, Ichika knows how to treat these girls in his state. "Ja, would you mind tasting this?"

"Eh?"

"You said you want more right? Ja, I'll give you mine?"

"Eh?"

"It's alright, I can't eat all of this anyway, so you can have some?"

"Eh? But Orimura-kun, we can't..." Before they could continue, Ichika places one hand on the table and handed one spoon with food on it.

"I offer this... in exchange... I'll only give you all the happiness you want with my heart."

"..."

"..."

"..." Three girls speechless with blushing no less, this is like indeed being treated by a knight in shining armor.

Then Houki comes in. "Hm?" Just then, she saw witness to this dramatic event, sort to speak. "Ichika?"

"Here, ahh."

"Ahh." Nohohon-san is the first to be feed.

"Hai, next, ahh."

"Ahh."

"..." Though whenever Houki sees Ichika getting entangled with someoneelse's affair, she would just burst out of anger but for now, "Hm," She merely scoff then, "Give me the best seasoning."

"Eh?" The chef was confused at that, there are many seasonings here so...

"The best of the best then."

That's unreasonable, deciding to give the best as she put it, the chef poured in a lot of food on her tray, then after filling it up, she moves towards Ichika. "Here, ahh." Another one, it's Nohohon-san's turn again.

"Wa, I'm jealous."

"If only we moved first..." Some girls are eyeing the group enviably until...

_Thuck! _"Ichika, can I sit with you?" Houki slams on the table and asked that.

"Eh? Oh, Houki, greetings, why of course you can sit with us, right, you wouldn't mind right?"

"Hm, hm." They nod.

"Good, then," Suddenly grabbing a spoon, "Ja, it's your turn." She hands over the spoon.

"Hm?"

"F... Feed me." She said that looking down, then she turns her eyes to him without raising her head.

"What... Oh, you want me to feed you right? Alright, it'll be my pleasure, alright, here, say ahh."

"Ahh." She does so.

"Whoa, Shinonono-san, I didn't know you want to eat many, do they in the kendo club eat this many?" Nohohon-san asked as she noticed that she ordered a lot of seasoning and a lot of meat like Ichika, Ichika mostly gave some of his own food to Nohohon-san and her friends since theirs were a little few and he doesn't really need to eat much, especially... given in his Zero mode at the moment, he's full of energy already to eat enough like this so he can waste some of them.

"Yeah, this is like... a tons of weight?"

"N-Not at all, I can reduce all of it almost immediately, I can do so, with this." She presents a sword, Akeyou, it's real by the way, no wonder the sempais on the kendo club wanted to recruit her badly, she's been practicing with some of them on the arts of swordsmanship with Practice IS as well to improvise along with the machines, as well as manuever.

"Whoo, a real sword."

"Yeah, it's glowing on the tip."

"Cool." The three girls said.

"Houki, you know it's not rude to show that in here, here, put that down, you shouldn't show that up to scare people, here, let me feed you again, ahh." Ichika said offering another spoon.

"I wasn't scaring, I was just... _munch._" She got fed on again.

...At the faculty...

"The sunset is almost down, are we sure about Alcott's situation." A lot of faculty staff are gathered here, concerning the status of a student of Chifuyu.

"Are we sure we should let her attend this meeting? Our students must not have any affiliation with any organization, but Alcott insisted that she needs to undergo in this deal that will make her family be protected for personal gain."

"But it doesn't mean people can't visit their children, out students can visit their families from time to time." Yamada said.

"Right, we didn't agreed on the terms of any politician to just claim that we won't allow students to see their family." Chifuyu added.

"I agree, but will this be really okay? According to the message we received, they're meeting inside a plane that is bound for... well..."

"Is it bound for outside the country?"

"Not really, it'll be just a short trip around the country's borders but... I don't trust that they'll just use an air flight to hold a meeting, something is fishy here, I can tell just by looking at these group of men of a russian organization out there." Some of the people here are not of IS academy's staff members, but rather, they are of the Alcott security guard, they are here to escort their ojou-sama, Cecilia, to the airport for some agreement meeting concerning the Alcott inheritence.

"I agree, so can you keep her safe? You are the trusted security body guard of the Alcott family, I expect that one of our students will not go with some harm on her way?" Chifuyu asked intently, if there's anything she knows, betrayal is the worst prey out there, it hunts, and if you do not prey upon it, you shall become the victim, just like she and her brother were betrayed by their parents. That much is certain.

"Well yes, we are to escort ojou-sama but..."

"I have decided." Someone comes in, Cecilia Alcott. "I'll attend this meeting, I'll take full responsible here."

"Alcott, are you sure about your decision? Once you board that air flight, we can't guarantee your safety onboard, these men might even be planning to kidnap you and get the inheritence themselves." Chifuyu warns her student, as it is her right as a teacher.

"Daijobou, I shall handle this by myself." Her earring flashes at that.

_"Sigh, _very well, but, we cannot guarantee that your attendance record will be permanent in its course, at this rate, you're risking a full scale of absences in your record, does that become fully understood to you?"

"Hai, ja, if you will excuse me."

"Oh, ojou-sama, Chelsea-san will be expecting you at the airport and..." The men in black followed behind.

"Ne, Orimura-sensei, are you..." Yamada is still concerned.

"Hm, there's nothing we can do now, all we can do now... is wish... upon the star."

...Outside...

_Flash, whoosh, whoosh! _A shooting star just passed by, it lands to who knows where.

...At the hallway...

"_Sigh, _I did it again." Ichika, feeling like he's very tired after triggering the demon in him, walks along the corridor where he is expected to arrive at the faculty office. "Oh well, I guess I better... huh?" He saw Cecilia and some men in black leaving, they are bound for who knows where. "Cecilia?"

Then Chifuyu and Yamada come out as well. "Hm? Oh, Orimura, you came, good, come with us, there's something we would like to show you."

"Ah, Orimura-kun."

"Hm? Something to show me?"

...At a storage...

Chifuyu opens the light that only reflects the IS in its closed form on the middle, this is the Byakushiki, the former IS of the champion of the Mondo Grosso, and now, it's being passed on to someone else. "This is?" The light is only reflecting the IS and nothing else, both Chifuyu and Yamada step in to remove the blanket covering it, it's being preserved it seems. "What is..."

"Orimura, I present to you your personal IS, the Byakushiki, use it well." The light became even more fiercing as the light reflects on Byakushiki itself, it's not a white expression IS for nothing, it's like a representation of pure white itself, as its color is white and there is a certain aura about it that makes you think it's the expression of a shooting star granting wish.

"This is..."

"Hai, Orimura-kun, it's your own personal IS."

"The reason we called you here is for you to retrieve it, soon, you will lead the entire class as a representative."

"Huh? Wha... Since when did this get decided?"

"Eh? You didn't noticed Orimura-kun? A lot of your classmate voted for you, didn't you know?" He was so absorbed in thought about keeping the demon, Zero mode, at bay that he didn't noticed that a while earlier.

"They... did?"

"That's right, you'll be the representative of class 1."

"..." Now his normal life has all but left him, goodbye, it's been nice knowing you.

"Well then, since you'll be keeping this, I advice you to figure out its primary weapons and function, you can do that yourself right?" Chifuyu transformed the IS into its closed form, a gauntlet it seems, then he tosses it to Ichika.

"Oh this is?"

"That's its closed form, you should be able to carry it with you, for the next course of the year, I'll be teaching you on how to manuever it, for now though, a proper introduction into its system is the wise thing to do, don't you think? Now then, I expect you to memorize at least the partial deployment weapon mechanism of that thing, afterwards, tomorrow, we'll be performing some basic IS manuever, don't slack now Orimura." Chifuyu and Yamada left the storage.

"Bye bye, Orimura-kun."

"A-Ah, okay." He steps out as well, the sunset is already there, and it will fall about nighttime, a lot of things happened today as well, well, the demon only rose up earlier during lunch time and he has sort of properly control it this time around, well, that's one accomplishment for today. "Sa te, I better... Hm?" Just then, Ichika spotted a group of maids sneaking nearby. "What the..." They seem to be... well-equipped for maids, like they are more than what they appear.

"Ichika? Are you here?" Houki's voice.

"Hm? Houki."

"Ichika, I heard you were called by Orimura-sensei, did something- Oh, is that...?"

"Ah, it's... it's my personal IS, Byakushiki, I think."

"Oh, the former IS of Orimura-sensei, you..."

"Right, but Houki, do you know them?"

"Eh?" He points at the maids hiding under the bushes on the field grassland around here, it's not much, but this is the nature type of field for the academy, like enjoying the breeze around it, but in this case... "Who... Are those... maids?"

"Seems like it but... Huh?" Both see... a helicopter... with... "Huh? Hey, isn't that..."

"Cecilia Alcott?" Yup, inside the helicopter being accompanied by men in black and maids as well, is Cecilia, the representative candidate of England, as well a classmate of the two. "What is she... what is an helicopter doing here?"

"I don't know but... were they... what is..." Both stare at each other.

..At the hall...

It's almost nighttime and Ichika and Houki are walking down the hall, pondering on what has happened back there. "Ne, Houki, what do you that was?"

ad

"I don't know, I heard rumors but..."

"But what?"

"I'm not sure if this is accurate but from what I heard, Cecilia Alcott plans to arrange an engagement meeting to settle her family account into fruitrition once and for all, so that the Alcott family inheritence will finally be kept safe for all."

"What?" Ichika stops dead track at that. "E-Engagement? What do you...?"

"Like I said, I don't know the full details, but supposedly, they're meeting on a plane that will fly at the borders of Japan, if they're planning to arrange it there, it's the perfect plan to ambush but it's also where the transaction will be kept safe from outside interference. Chifuyu-san allowed it, but she also sent out some IS force at the request of the faculty staff to watch over Alcott's departure to the airport this evening, only a few were deployed though, Cecilia has her own bodyguards and maids who have sworn to protect her, so we shouldn't be so worry."

"Worry, but... huh?" Just as they were about to climb a stairway, Ichika sees a familiar face, blue hair, crimson eyes and... carrying a laptop and a juice with a straw. "You..."

_Tap, tap, tap... trip! _"W-Waah!" She tripped on the stairway. "Ahh!"

"H-Hey! Look out!" Ichika prepares to catch her.

"Ichika!"

The laptop and juice fell off from her grasp and... "Ahh!"

"Hey!" _Thubt! _"Guh!"

"Uah!" They clashed together and Ichika could not support the balance between them and so they fall. "Ahrgh!" And their face is within reach. "Gr, huh?"

"Huh?" Both stare at each other. "Ah."

"Ah. S-Sorry." Both stood up but... Kanzashi steps onto her juice, causing her to slip back down. "W-Waah!"

"Ah!" _Toink! _"Eh?"

"Wha?" Something soft and squishy, this is...

"Ah."

"..." ..._squeeze. _"Kyaah!" ...it's her small breast.

"Eh?" Ichika suddenly realizes that.

"L-Let go of my chest!" _Thwack! _Kanzashi landed a strong hit on his forehead, making a red mark on it as she ran.

"Ah." It's painful, but... _blurgh, blurrgh, bluurgh. _Feeling that experience... the demon is about to rise up...

"Ichika, you..." Houki saw all that. "You, you..." Drawing forth her sword... "What do you think you're doing!" _Whoosh! _ _Ticnt. _"Huh?"

Ichika stopped the sword with his hand, he touched the tip, but not the sharp part, then he slowly puts his fingers up to it, then he stands up. "Ah, I had a miscalculated my actions, I'm sorry, Houki." Zero mode is on, he turns to face Houki as he gently shove off the sword from her hand and puts it back to its proper place. Gently nonetheless.

"Eh?"

"Maybe we should snoop around, I got a bad feeling about this, about all we saw, those maids and... an helicopter." He becomes very serious on that, both in his tone and his expression, the Hysteria Zero Syndrome is on.

"Eh?"

End of Chapter 3

**Note: There wasn't much of a conflict here I know, next chapter is a battle in the airport and on a plane, this will be similar to the plane episode in Hidan no Aria wherein there will be a plane crash to which... well, I won't get to that, the thing I will tell you is that the battle will mostly take place inside a plane where Cecilia will ride on and then her conflict will finally be resolved in a way... nah, you best just read the next chapter, well, that's it, goodbye, we will meet again, enjoy.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Note: Okay, here's another chapter, I've been working non-stop since I have to pay up for losing a story once, well, I'm wondering what I should do with it, should I just delete it? Or just leave it be? Either way, I hope you enjoy this, I'll continue to keep writing, but not much I know where my limit is, until I made it Laura, where I stopped at my other story, enjoy!**

**Chapter 4: A Highway in The Air; Lifting Doubt of A Maiden**

...At the airport...

"Everything has been prepared for your departure, we can leave whenever we wish." A group of men in black with sunglasses are here, Cecilia, being accompanied by maids, are also here.

"Hai, let us go underway."

"Right, this way please." And so they go up to the stairway inside the plane.

"Chelsea, you best not accompany me." Cecilia suddenly stopped.

"Huh? But ojou-sama,"

"I'll be alright, I have blue tears with me," She rings her earring at that. "Sa, you best guard the airport for any outside interference."

"Ojou-sama." She's very reluctant to let her go just like that, a childhood friend and an ojou-sama all the same. She just closed the door of the plane and as soon after that, the stairway is removed.

"All aboard, everyone, stand back, flight 3.12 is about to take off, please stand back, everyone."

All of the maids are concerned for their ojou-sama. "Chelsea, are you sure about this?"

"It's ojou-sama's decision but... hm, perhaps, hm. Listen, meet me at the parking lot, all of you."

"H-Hai." They all nod.

"Ja, if you will excuse us."

"Ah, do so." They bid farewell for the men in black, then... as soon as they are out of sight, one of them brought out a phone. "Boss, the servants are now out of reach, they cannot reach the ojou-sama."

"Good, once we're done here the Alcott inheritence will finally be ours, the IS reproduction of the third generation will continue, for now, the young lady needs to be escorted somewhere where no one will disturb us, ha ha." That voice represents malevolency, sickness and pervertness. "For now, I assume you all have businesses with the maids, you can also **** ***** *** and that to them, good luck, and have fun, he he."

"Right, he he." He hangs up, a bunch of sickos, they have underestimated what women are capable of, this will be a mistake in their part. "Right, all of you, close all the entrances, get all the bunny suits ready, tonight, we will be granted with a lot of new, sexy hosts, hehe." The men went underway with that, whatever sickness that they plan to do.

...At the nearby parking lot

"Listen, I contacted the academy, they understand our plea, but they cannot do more other than to provide some reinforcements for those who would discriminate us as enemies here." Chelsea talked with the other maids about their plan of attack.

"But what can we do? I heard that there might be IS involved here?"

"Eh? IS? But can't men... they can't pilot IS right?"

"Well, there's that one boy in IS academy..."

"Oh, Orimura Ichika right?"

Everyone talked about a certain boy all of the sudden. "This is no time for that." Chelsea brought them all back to their senses. "I heard those IS are those that are not requiring any pilot, unmanned drone I think, that's what I heard of them, they're artificial intelligence that is only aim to kill their targets, expect no remorse from them, all those machines care about is destroying anything that they perceived as targets." Right, there was once a time where an engineer has lost trust in humans, mostly girls since girls are the only ones who can pilot IS, this man is said to be of France, from the Dunois corporation, after their production of IS has ceased in its operation, they begun to work on something that is not operated by humans but by machines themselves, in this case, there will be no mistakes or rather, the machines will only work according to their primary function to either kill or destroy, it's more the same actually. These machines are known as unmanned drones, artificial intelligence that only follows its programming without showing any remorse and has faster reaction time to any humans out there, as such, these unmanned drones are later revealed to the world though none bothered to expose them since they find the production of such thing to be scandalous as the IS are more fitting to be piloted by humans other than machines, why? Because unlike machines, humans can show emotions that will engineer most of the events in the world, without such thing, there will be no philosophy, no contradictory of beliefs and more importantly, those machines will no show any mercy to anyone, a child, a mother and a man will not be spared if they even see them as moaning or begging, as such, they are brutal and murderous instruments of murder and destruction, the government even banned the idea of production of such things, since it will caused some unrest and may even deplete the sources for many economical state and may even reduce the production of IS to other country, so in this case... there are some illegal organizations out there that have produced them anyway, one of it is the head of the Dunois company in France who is becoming quite power-hungry due to the corporation unable to produce second generation IS that has far surpassed that of the fourth generation IS of Japan, as such, they rely instead of unmanned drones that will obediently follow their commands**(One thing you should know, this whole thing about producing something that is not human is similar to the plot in gundam wing where the production of mobile dolls occurred wherein tsubarov or someone... I don't quite remember the spelling of the name, but in here, it'll be Charlotte's father who will produce the unmanned drones in which they are similar manner to mobile dolls.) **these unmanned drones that Chelsea is mentioning seem to be something that were provided by these russian guys who came to America then to Japan, is there some kind of secret organization giving them all of these destructive weapons? If so... "That's why, I want you all to use these." Chelsea presents some IS, provided by IS academy, they're only practice IS though so they won't be of much help when it come to fending off an overwhelming forces that attack here should they come.

"IS?"

"Hai, if you cannot pilot one, you don't have to, but... for ojou-sama's sake..." They understand her reasoning.

"Hm, okay."

IS academy

A lot of people are moving forth for a march, well, operation actually, the Alcott servants requested that there might be interjection from some unknown enemy that might spark up things to become chaotic in the meeting, Chifuyu and Yamada will be leading such forces. "Our role is to safeguard the meeting, if everything goes wrong, then... there's nothing we can do for Alcott, this is her family case now."

"There's nothing more we can do..." Though Yamada is reluctant to let things be, if they intervene further, there might be casualties not just for them, but for the entire academy ruining the agreement and the treaty of Alaska, that is why...

...At the corner of a building...

"Ichika, are you sure about this?" Ichika asked Houki and some girls from Class 1, well, everyone is here actually, apparently they're very insterested in something going on here.

"Yeah, what are we gonna do?" Even Nohohon-san and the others are here.

"Well, I've been listening about some stuff, is it true that Cecilia will be consorting with Russians in a plane?" Ichika asked, he's the one who requested everyone's presence here, oh, and he's also in his Zero mode at the moment, 30 minutes has passed, so he only has one hour and more 30 minutes left before it cools down, before that, he has a job to do.

"That's what we heard, supposedly, they will have transaction of some sort inside the plane about some agreement I think."

"What sort of agreement is it?"

"Not sure, supposedly it's regarding Cecilia's family inheritence."

"Ah, politicians are becoming greedy as we speak, if they don't do something about it, Cecilia decided to result things by herself."

"You mean she's keeping it from being stolen."

"Right, and right now, flight 3.12 is..." Ichika listens to the girls' conversation, it seems like a transaction will be taking place on the borders of Japan, if they're in a plane, it would be more likely that there will no interference, unless of course... if Cecilia wishes to take all the burden and conflict herself, this means... she might get exactly what everyone fears the most, a victim of ****** harassment. And this is something a chivalrous person cannot take so lightly, there is only response...

"So, they're meeting on an airport right?" Ichika asked in a serious tone, _blurrgh, blurgh, blurrgh. _The Hysteria Zero Syndrome seems to be doing something different other than boosting confidence and some other things like that can improve one's reflexive and other things that one can achieve that some may not, this something can be triggered through thinking of someone else, like bonding with them, like you would forsake your own situation in order to help them, through such selflessness that invincibility can be acquired even with a slight moment only but... not even a slight is compared to eternity of friendship and other forms of love out there, so... there is one thing to do, and that is... form a pact... of chivalrous act... and bond... of... love, like... the red string is calling...

_Flash! _"Oh, a shooting star!" Nohohon-san pointed.

"Wow, how many shooting stars does this make it for the whole year?"

"Let's go." Ichika said in a serious tone.

"Eh?" Everyone turns to him.

"Ichika?"

"We're going to the airport, some of you might not like this but, we're all from the same class, and is there one thing I know, is that we shouldn't abandon each other, we are all from class 1, Cecilia and I haven't exactly talk to each other much but I'm willing to keep her from harm."

"But Orimura-kun, they'll be meeting at the borders, and if we interefere..." Nohohon-san confirms the worst.

"We might receive some offense after this, they might even consider expulsion as penalty for us for disregarding one of the articles of the activity that represent a student body." Houki added.

"I'm well aware of that, but... through good things, best things come rewarded, and right now..." Ichika hangs his head high, "I think with this deed we're about to perform... hey, would you say that if you guys were in my place that you will do something for someone?"

"...?" Everyone has question mark on their heads.

"Ever since I transferred here, I felt like I would make complete stranger out of myself here," a speech from a transfer student who believes himself a somewhat of an outsider at first, but as he continued to be here, he feels like, or at least, in Ichika's Zero mode, he could see something like a possible future of being surrounded by a laughter of girls who will support him through and through, through this bond of friendship, family, and love, perhaps the entire class will have a happy future together, heck, they might even change the current world at the moment, if they would show the world what it means to be truly an IS pilot, perhaps... there will be yet salvation for the world despite all the ongoing negativity that is occurring today."but you guys were kind to me, so it's my obligation to return the favor as class representative, you guys did vote for me right?"

"Oh uh... hai, ha ha." They all laugh nervously since they did it without him being concede about it.

"What was it you were about to say?" Houki asked, this is becoming more serious now, or Ichika is just being too serious in his speech, but it's not too shabby either.

"Well, as class representative, I would be leading the class right?"

"Hmhm." Everyone nods.

"Well, as class representative, I better do something about Cecilia, since she's our comrade and all, everyone of you are my comrade, and if it means getting my neck out to save you guys, no matter how perilous it is, I'll gladly do it, for you guys, I love all of you!" ...Perhaps once Ichika is back to normal mode, sort the least, he would ponder endlessly about what the heck is he saying, but, perhaps without even the Zero mode, he would say this outloud, though of course... he too has his own reservation about saying such words, by love, he means a lot of words, compassion, comradeship and... love. Even the normal Ichika would be able to say this, though the way he pronounced it is somewhat... devious, as if is that really a sign or affection or...? He said that in a cheerful way as if saying "I love all of you as my comrades"! or something like that.

"..." Everyone blushes at that, love huh... does that mean... everyone is treated fairly or... simply a class representative's duty to watch over and show affection for his comrades?

"O-Orimura-kun..."

"Th-That's... uh... ha ha." Nothing would make a girl happy rather than to receive the affection of someone, even boys as well, love does conquer everything isn't?

"I-Ichika..."

"Well then, my comrades, shall we do this together and save a comrade of ours?" Right, as a class, everyone are comrades, just as friends are comrades, so are family are comrades, and class 1 is filled with comrades with a boy representative leading them like a family man, sort to speak, Ichika extended a hand to which everyone will join theirs.

"Yes! Let's go, Class 1! Yeah! Let's go, Orimura!" Everyone exclaimed altogether. They all held hands on the middle, then exclaimed and vowed to promise and help a fellow comrade who is in jeopardy.

...Meanwhile, out in the sea

An airplane is cruising around the vicinity wherein the entire city can be seen, this is also at high distance to which the clouds can be seen, at this rate, only outside interferences can only occurred should an IS, or maybe an air cruiser should intercede the plane, though at this distance, perhaps none are able to go through that far as should someone decided to spoil the party, sort to speak, the plane would just accelerate further to leave Japan as the russian group promised to not let anyone catches on to this meeting, and speaking of pleasurable meeting... "What is the meaning of this?" Cecilia is tied up in a seat, along with some other passengers, mostly are women while the rest are male engineers and staff employee around here, the pilot is being threatened to go around in circle without alarming the government of these guys action, the russian group that is.

"Hehe, Ms. Alcott, you should know better that your worthless family won't survive with your inheritence for much longer."

"Hn," Cecilia scoffs at that, she could barely contained her hands which are tied up and they're hurting as a result of her trying to break away from her seat.

"Hehe, you should know better not to trust another rival family you know, your parents would be disappointed at you for taking these kind of risk." The man who is in charge pinched her cheek, mocking her.

"Gr, oka-san, otou-san." She wonders if they were here, what would they say, they would probably just... from what Cecilia could make out of their memory, the father, who was neither good at outside as well inside problems would probably just stare at her blankly while the mother would probably scold her in a sweet way that she wouldn't shout at her for doing something like this, but... they're not here, they're simply... not here. "Mn," She breaks in tears.

"Hehe, all of you are to be taken to our group, the women will produce babies for our men," The other russians snicker at that.

"Mngh." While some of the women were terrified at that.

"Grrgh, grrgh!" While some of the men were aggravated at that for the insult their wives have suffered, men are the family man after all, well, sort of speaking, women needs someone to lean on, no matter how much they deny that, they need someone, a man, a woman, a child, someone they could love, for without such thing, there would no happiness at all, those who lack such thing will live a life of emptiness where there would no meaning at all. While those who willingly embraces the path towards happiness would find all joy in life, eventually, there would be challenges where one's both mental and attitude would be put to the test, if one is deranged enough to actually think they can live a life of full of luxury without any problems at all, some people are like that, some of them have become so deranged that they think they are almighty or something like that to which they are becoming megalomaniacs to the point that they might become insane as a result, fanatics are like that in which they think by simply believing in an almighty being, they would become invincible, but so far, the only thing it did to them is to become unstable and unpredictable in their behavior.

"Huh, you men will be tossed overboard after our men have finally cut off the contact with the IS government about this meeting, soon the Alcott inheritence will be ours and we will all become rich men."

"Ha ha ha!" All of them laugh altogether like a bunch of maniacs who think they are unstoppable. Most guys are like that, as despite women becoming the dominant gender, and they tend to be arrogant, men themselves are barbaric, ignorant creatures who think women are all housewives and nothing more.

...At the airport...

"So it has come to this." Chelsea and the other maids are all in-ranged for an attack, why? Because...

_Stomp, stomp, stomp. _Unmanned drones roam the airport line, ready to fire at will at the command off... well, quite frankly, they only respond to their programming, some guys in suit are in command, they hold a command control that is like a remote to which by just pushing a button, the unmanned drones would react accordingly to their function and start firing at will at them, some of the maids are piloting IS that were provided by the academy and now they face an army of doll like machines that only respond to the string of command that their master give, some say the reproduction of these unmanned drones are necessary, but the only larger impact it has is that it's a mockery against humanity, why? As machines are deadly in combat, the human piloting is said to be at fault, but while the machine is certainly capable of wiping out enemies through sheer tactical knowledge and deadly combat manuevers, perhaps it is the pilot that manuevers such capabilities, if they are not capable in handling such machine, it would be best to just rely on computers, this would make death unnecessary in battle, as such, there would be no casualties when unmanned drones are used, the only drawback is... while machines are certainly more faster, more stronger than humans in manuevring weapons such as machines, like IS, they are no doubt merciless, as such, when used in battle, when an enemy surrender, the drones will not stop attacking and would continue annihilating the target until there are no more vital signs of life on it as such, the production of such killing machines can be considered evil, not to mention, even humans can show remorse for their targets, such machines are cruel and vicious that they would only comply to their given command, it's fate worse than death to be emotionless, for without such thing, there would be no color, no sound, no light, only a dim darkness wherein you feel like everything around you is empty and all they could do is to abide and not to do anything with their selves, not to also mention that the production of such thing has caused the military government much that they decided to not continue the production of such things since it's depleting all income and all advance technology in the world would be focused on creating massive weapons of destruction that would make a poor example of society wherein all people are generally staying at their homes while machines are fighting for them, while some considers this an option, the thought of it can be disturbing as machines themselves are actually more flawful than humans as machines themselves can become corrupted, more easily than humans as well, humans can resist corruption while machines are willing embracing it, thus, they can become hostile to both their enemies as well as their allies, if they can even identify such things in the first place. "This is a warning, if you dare to oppose us, we will fire at will and show you no remorse to ensure the meeting goes well without any rebellious phase at all, so give up and we'll do things nicely." One of the men with control for the unmanned drones said in a megaphone as a warning.

"You consider this peaceful compromise! You just want our ojou-sama for your own selfish benefit!" Chelsea and the others enter into a phase of combat.

"Annihilate all their weapons, the IS must become obselete, capture all of them!" At that command, one guy pushed after another every controls that they carry.

And... "Target: Confirmed." _blast, blast, blast! boom, boom! _

"Geh, everyone, fire!"

"Hai!" _boom, boom! _Some of the heavy artilleries are fired on the enemies, the unmanned drones, deaths here would cost casualties so best not result to that, the only problem is... they cannot get any closer to the men with the controls so they can only fire at the unmanned drones and when they are dispatched, they will take care of the sickos who are intending to capture them for harassment..

"Fire, fire!" _boom, boom! _Then some of those who are operating IS fired at will as well.

_boom, boom! _"Target: confirmed." _blast, blast! _No good, they're not relenting, the unmanned drones have very high tactical knowledge of the situation, they can gather info on the angle, the shooting position, and the attack range of the opponents, at this rate, if this would be a chess game, should the king suffer penalty of defeat, the rest would be... _blast, blast! _all of the unmanned drones fire at Chelsea, who is being covered by two IS.

"Gr, I'm sorry, ojou-sama, but this for you own sake!" _blast, blast! _She then fire an IS equipment laser beam that is being carried by not only her, but three more female maids in their group, well, not like... nah, nevermind about unnecessary things about men dressing up as... only fools do that. Well, if men are foolish that is.

_blast, blast! _"They're at disadvantage, slaughter the IS, leave only the females for our taste!" One man, who is a sicko among... no, all of them are, said while licking his lips for women's body.

_blast, blast! _"Target: Con-" _blast, boom! boom! _Just as when the unmanned drones were about to fire at them, one unmanned drone got hit on the torso, where the core is, and exploded along with some of them.

"What the! Who...?" Turning to the left side of the runway, a bunch of units are standing nearby, being led by...

"All units, attack!" Chifuyu Orimura, an instructor in IS academy.

"Hai!" _blast, blast, blast! _

_boom, boom! _A bunch of IS units, most piloted by some senior students and some instructors, like Yamada for one, fired at will at her command. "Who- Another females?"

"They're from IS, I thought there would be no interference from that paradise place!"

"I don't know about that! We-" _boom! _"Guh!" One student, who is a senior, fired at them while they are distracted.

"Aim for the unmanned drones, otherwise, destroy those control panels!" Chifuyu commanded.

"Hai!" _blast, blast! _

"Target: Confirmed." _blast, blast, blast! boom! _The unmanned drones retaliated.

"Change the commands, destroy those IS academy students, and instructors!"

"Hai!" The men did so.

The unmanned drones sensor beam eminated, signifying their change of targets, this prove to be advantageous for Chelsea and the others. "Chelsea, let's go."

"Hai." They plan to itch a ride on a free airplane here, it's not a passenger line airplane, but it's a propeller plane with at least two passengers, with one as the pilot, line on it, two maids will try to intersect the passenger line airplane of flight 3.12, should they succeed, the plane won't be able to leave the borders of Japan and reach Russia just in time for Moscow, sort to speak, to deliver and make fun of the passengers, the plane was revealed to be a trap after Chelsea contacted Chelsea onboard but no response was received and so they concluded that it was as they fear, it was a set up and if they fail, the price to pay is the life of their dear ojou-sama who is both a childhood friend and mistress to the head of the maids around, or is it... nah, it's not important.

"Chelsea, we're ready to go." The propeller is working, and the engine is working fine.

"Yosh, all of you, we're expecting a clear runaway when we're about to land that flight after rescuing ojou-sama, if we do not find a suitable landing zone, we'll be hitting in the city and it would cost damage than the inheritence of ojou-sama's family, we are all servants of the Alcott, and I'm not going to abandon my loyalty to them, and neither should you!"

"Hai!" They all saluted firmly, proudly on that, they are all dedicated servants who would give up their own lives for the sake of the Alcott, for it is the most important family in England, where they all live. Everyone scattered around to find some lights, wherein it will be the beacon for the rest when the time has come for flight 3.12, there are passengers there, so they cannot just simply shut it down, to which those bastards inside who are holding them prisoners will take advantage of that and use it as their escape route or chance to escape, there aren't many parachutes left and the only way to ensure that the plane doesn't crash is that someone or somebody must signal a beacon for the plane to land or else, there will be a lot of casualties in the city, and if not, the passengers will die for it. So there's no option here, unless chilvary intervenes and do something about it, and...

"Yosh, here we go." The propeller plane started moving and it's about to enter the runway but...

"Target: Confirmed." One unmanned drone detected it through its sensors, and seeing the maids on it, it's about to... _blast! _

"Ah, Chelsea, look out!"

"Huh?" _blaast. _"_gasp! Ah!_" The blast is about to reach.

"_Chelsea!"_ Their ojou-sama's life is in jeopardy and they're about to fail the most probably important mission of their life if they die: to protect their lovely ojou-sama from any harm so...

"_gasp, ah!"_ 'Someone... please save us!" A wish... being sent to the stars...

_Block! _A flash of light suddenly blocked the shot and then it quickly flew overhead. "What the?" One of the guys saw that.

"Huh?" And so are the other maids.

"...Hm?" Chelsea opens her eyes to see something flashing above, it's like a shooting star. "That's..."

_blast, blast, blast! _"Hm?" Yamada notices it as well as it flies overhead, examining the entire battlefield. "Orimura-sensei, look."

"Hm? That's..." Looking at it, it's an IS, in its closed form. "What the..."

_ablaaze, whoosh! _Then it begins to swoop down towards them. _Flash! _Then its closed form is disengaged, two arm parts are deployed, then some for the feet, and finally... there it was... Byakushiki! "Hmph," Below is... Ichika.

"What the-? Orimura-kun?"

"What? Orimura?"

_Flash! _The Byakushiki inserted Ichika in for piloting and then it was ready for combat manuever, now it's up to the user to how it's supposed to use. "What's that? An IS?" One of the maids asked.

"It's a personal one?"

Ichika first accessed the interface about the weapons, primary functions and useful data about the IS. "IS manuever accessible, Byakushiki stable, welcome to IS interface." The computer voice said welcoming Ichika as its new user.

"Hm," With only 30 minutes left before the Hysteria Zero Syndrome would drop off, he focuses on getting rid of any unnecessary obstacles, such as...

"Orimura, what are you-" _boom! _"Geh! Dammit." Chifuyu curses at the unmanned drones that are firing still.

Then Ichika who finally gets all the necessary data prepares for battle, so far he knows that the main weapon is the Yukihira type 2 is the primary CQC combat weapon, then there's the Ignition Boost, which is for speed boost up, then the Reiraku Byakuya and then finally, the Barrier Void Attack which can nullify almost any energy shield that is blocking any attack, including melee combat manuevers, so to summarize all that, most of Byakushiki's armament are that of CQC to which it's like a white knight ready to go about in a chivalrous battle to settle them honorably, _flaash! _Ichika spreaded the thrusters which are like wings that are emanating like angel wings, _whoosh!, _then he swooped down towards the unmanned drones, but before that... there is also something else... according to the guide interface, an IS is pretty much like the same as the one using it, meaning it goes about at the same length of the person's psyche, if they are very analytic, the IS can perform various manuevers that can outmatch a number of enemies on the battle field but... such tactics would require something... devastating sort to speak, he knows how to do it, in his Zero mode, this tactical method is... "Hm," Using some brain analytic that is provided by the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, he accessed the interface, then his psyche is analyzed, and then he typed... the letters... Z.E.R.O. then, Byakushiki's interface glowed very brightly, golden color infact, and so does Ichika's eyes, he's under its influenced and so... _Flash! _Byakushiki is now no longer needing any visual interface, since Ichika's reaction time is decreased completely due to the Z.E.R.O function that he has input through analytical thinking at the moment, further advanced knowledge seems to be coming from him as the Hysteria Zero Syndrome implores him to, right now, his mind is focusing on total victory over this situation, his reaction is already decreased when he enters into this state to which he can guess what might happen soon and project something before he sees or hear it, the Z.E.R.O function takes care of that, future outcomes are also perceived, right now, Ichika's only focus is... save... anyone... within... the vicinity. So he guides this system according to function, that his mind is reflecting on, also, the Z.E.R.O function can only be accessed whenever Ichika is on Zero mode, this type of system is dangerous if one doesn't a goal or mission in mind, so right now, Ichika can only focus on two things: Save Cecilia and the other maids involved, the other... dispatch any enemies that threaten his friends... his comrades, and... dispatch... those who indiscrimate... the nature of women! "Ahh!" _Whoosh, whoosh! _Releasing some energy, he ignited the Yukihira version 2 or type 2 as the primary weapon for now.

"Ah."

"Ah." Both groups, the maids and the academy forces, watch for now.

_Whoosh! _Ichika swoops down towards the unmanned drones on the runway. _blast, blast! _Right after firing some more, the drones turn to him. _flash, flash, static, static. _They couldn't identify it since it's very different from the ones they are programmed to target as enemies, so.. before they could react... "Unidentified object, conf-" _slice, slice, boom, boom! _They weren't fast enough to react, Ichika ran them through and they exploded. _blast, blast, slice, slice, boom! _Then another group got ran down with the Yukihira slicing them off. _blast, blast. _"Target:Con-" _slice, slice, boom! _

Unlike them, Ichika has no need for visual interface, he could only perceive what might come before and what he might hear next, they're all gathering in his mind, the Z.E.R.O program is taking care of possible situation in this battlefield, and Ichika is guiding it to protect Cecilia's servants and the IS force should they need to. "Hmph," Due to the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, Ichika has little difficulty, or not at all, in manuevering the IS, Byakushiki, he already knows what the movement of the enemy is before they would make them thanks to the programming. _slice, slice, slice, boom, boom! _

"Hang on, how does that... how does he... before our unmanned drones could react, he already know about their movements!" One of the guy said noticing that feat of predicting movement from the unmanned drones.

"Ah."

"Sugoi." Yamada said as the rest of seniors and instructors are clueless of how he is doing that.

_Slice, slice, boom, boom! _"Ichika, you..." Chifuyu could see that her younger brother seems to have get a hang out of it in piloting Byakushiki, even far than she expected actually, he's actually being able to manuever with ease with tactical movements that seem to suggest that he already know what will be the next course of action to take before one can ponder about that, the unique of a system that is reflecting that of the pilot's psyche, and right now, due to the Hysteria Zero Syndrome in which fast reflext, and logical thinking, is involved, Ichika has little trouble, or not at all, of losing control soon enough. "..." She's amazed at this, what could... have happened, she figures, after that fateful night before they went to the academy, that something happened to her younger brother before they left, when she found him lying on the ground that day and him feeling hot, sort to speak, like he has a fever, but it wasn't, it's... a supernatural... phenomenon. "..." 'Geez, what could...'

_slice, slice! _Most of the unmanned drones are destroyed, securing the propeller plane to make a free course to take of. "Sugoi, he's good."

"Ah." Chelsea and the other maid that is piloting the plane said as they are about to go full speed. "He's already know the movement of the enemy before they could react."

In the battlefield, enemies are coming on and on and keeps getting dispatched by Byakushiki, then before the last two unmanned drones are destroyed. Ichika stops for a while, not to ponder, but... "Hm," He turns to the two men with controls on their hands.

"Q-Quick, order the drones to attack them!"

"H-Hai!" Before they could do so however... _bang! _"Guah!" A fireshot that disarmed of the control, it came from behind.

"What the?"

"You fools will not go anywhere!"

"Yeah!" Houki and the rest of class 1 are here, equipped with some armaments like machine guns and other military weapons. _bang, bang! _

"Guah!"

"Ugh!" They hit the two guys, it was stun bullet so it was not... well, it's not going to kill them, casualties should be avoided if possible.

"Ichika!"

"I'll leave things to you here, can you do that?"

"Hai, of course."

"Hm, ja, Houki, used that helmet tactical weapon that I provided you with." It was Nohohon-san who suggested to use that by the way.

Flashback.

"Orimura-kun, what should we do about the unmanned drones?"

"Hm, is there something that you can use to give tactical ploy during the battle?"

"Well... we're all equipped with practice IS so... it won't be much damage, but I think we can..."

"How about this?" Nohohon-san presented a helmet like aparatus. "It's something I was asked to work on."

"What's that?"

"An helmet?"

"No, it's a tactical deploy armament, it's used for giving commands for the units on a field."

End of flashback.

Houki equipped the helmet**(Similar helmet with the modified Epyon system that was used by Dorothy in Gundam wing)** that is connected through Ichika's IS, which reflects that of the programming on it, Z.E.R.O., it will probably function in the same way as the programming of Byakushiki does, which means... this is will be mastermind battle, so... "Yosh," With Houki providing tactical movements, everyone boarded their practice IS as more unmanned drones enter the field.

"Orimura-sensei, look, more unmanned drones."

"And those brats, gr, what are they doing here? I bet it's Orimura's fault why they are here."

"Uh..." Speaking of Orimura...

"Houki, everyone, I'm counting on you guys, remember, one for all..." He gives a trademark to which...

"All for one! Yeah!" Houki and the rest followed up with thumbs up.

"Go, O-ri-mu-ra!" Some of them cheered as Ichika flew into the sky, into the borders of Japan.

"Yosh," Houki prepares to give command to all.

"Shinonono, we're counting on you."

"Yeah, give us the right command."

"Class 1, here we go!" Everyone cheered as they charge into battle.

"Ichika, this is..." Remembering Ichika's words...

Flashback.

"What? Me?" Houki is assigned to give commands to everyone during the battle.

"Hm, you'll be good for the job, simply think of it as assigning rows in your kendo manuever."

"Th-That's different! It's..."

"Daijobou, I'll guide you through it." Ichika entrusted the helmet apparatus to Houki.

"Eh?"

"Daijobou, I'll make it easier for you, Houki." He said that while winking.

"I... Ichika... Hm, okay."

End of flashback

"Okay, for you Ichika, I'll..." The helmet begins to glow in the same color as Byakushiki, golden. Ichika, from afar, typed the exact letters he typed on the Byakushiki, it's connected through Houki's helmet by a connector that is similar to sending messages through the internet, so... the letters Z.E.R.O. appeared on Houki's helmet, signifying the activation of it. "Yosh, good, this will do it." Houki feels more confident as the reaction time on her brain waves has decreased drastically, and all sort of information are flowing through, there are connectors that are attached to her head which can send motion waves that can put her in state where she can think logically and calmly, with two goals in mind, one, is to provide tactical command to the rest, second, keep up with Ichika's promise that they'll all return safely so... the only left thing to do is... "Yosh, sa, head for the flank, group 1! Group 2, head for the rear, and three, head for the aerial manuevers!" All sort of future movements come, Houki knows when and how the enemies would react due to the down reaction and future outcomes are being transmitted as she guides the Z.E.R.O program to help the others and keep up with Ichika's words, she's bonded with the helmet sort to speak, as she can feel sort of becoming one, in a way, with it.

"Yosh!" "Understood!" And so they went to formation.

_blast, blast! _"Target: confirmed." Some unmanned drones have changed targets to the members of class 1.

"Get those girls, we'll get them instead!"

"Hai!" The men assigned all the drones to attack them, and they went to formation.

"Yosh!" The members of class 1 then split up according to Houki's guidance.

"Tho- E-Everyone!" Yamada exclaimed.

"Those idiots, what are they- Huh?" Just as when Chifuyu was about to berate them for their recklessness, she then took notice that they're rather acting in... a very devious manner. "What the...?" They're tactical movement is perfect, in this way...

_blast, blast, shoock, boom! _"Yeah!"

"Got one!" Nohohon-san and her other two friends destroyed a couple of unmanne drones by blasting them on the torso, where the core is.

_slice, slice, shoock, boom! _"Yeah!"

"Alright!" Then the kendo club sliced off those in the rear.

_boom, boom, boom, shoock, boom! _"Alright!"

"Good analytical movement!" Then those who are for aerial bound fired in ranged, it's perfect aim.

"Yosh, now, go to..." Houki continues to provide analytical, tactical movements of attack. The helmet is showing all the possible courses to take, all she have to think about is giving them command.

"S-Sugoi."

"How do they..." The two instructors from class 1 are speechless, how do they... since when did they... did they get taught by some instructor during their absence, or...

...Above in the sky...

_Whoosh, _Ichika flies overhead, detecting the flight carrier 3.12. "There it is, hm?" He sees some fighting, that's...

_bhew, bhew! boom, boom! bhew, bhew! _The IS, personal IS, blue tears, is deployed. Its weapon pods, to which where it's given a name, are firing at the unmanned drones that are deployed and are circling the plane where she escaped from earlier.

Flashback...

_srck, srcht, srcht! _"Guh!" Through sheer thinking, Cecilia managed to break off the chains holding her in her chair, then... "Hiya!" _Thuck, thud! _

"Guah! Argh."

"B-Boss, the Alcott daughter is-" _thud! _"Guh!" A bunch of body guards got kicked on their abdomen, their chin, and their cheek.

"You damn spoiled... forget it, attack!" _bang, bang, bang! _They all fire at her, alarming the passengers to get down so that they may not get shot.

"Mmrngh."

"mmrgh." They all duck from where they are sitting.

"Hold your fire, we need the hostages alive!"

The boss commanded, Cecilia partially deployed the arm of her personal IS to block the bullets then, "You bastards, you think I didn't come prepare for this? I'll teach you the pride of the Alcott! Ahh!" _Flash! _She deployed her IS as she opens the door to the passenger cabin then jumped out.

"H-Hey, bitch, program the unmanned drones to fire at her, hurry!"

"Hai!"

End of flashback

_bhew, bhew, boom, boom! _"Gr," _bhew, bhew, boom! _Cecilia spreaded the blue like tear pods everywhere, exposing some of the unmanned drones weakness to which they can be fired just about anywhere as the pods speed are very quick to the point they can decimate one enemy from all direction. "You bastards, I won't go down easily!" _Whoosh! _She flies abit upward to avoid the attack of the unmanned drone.

_blast, blast. _"Target: confirmed." _blast, blast! _

_Whoosh, whoosh! _Cecilia dexterously dodged the shot, she's not an England representative for nothing, she's very agile, as well as reflexive, to be fired at by those amateurs, "Hiya!" _bhew, bhew! boom, boom! _Two more down.

Two approaches from behind. _blast, blast. _

"Gr," She turns around, only to... _blast, boom! _"Guh!" One fired from behind, leaving her vulnerable, her reaction time isn't enough since the height of this place, as well as the passengers being in danger, is still alarmed in her mind, she cannot forget that they must be protected or else she won't be a noble at all. "Gurk,gr."

"She's vulnerable boss!"

"Yeah, kill her now! We'll take the inheritence ourself without her approval or her supported marriage."

The unmanned drones close in. About to fire, but... _slice, slice! _The guns are sliced. A white thing came passing by. _whoosh, whoosh , slice, boom, boom! _Then it ran them through, destroying them. "Huh?" Cecilia ponders on what it is.

"Wha-?"

"What is that?"

"Another IS?"

"Hm?" The boss of these russian guys, as well as the passengers look outside.

"You..." Cecilia recognized this person.

"Yo, you've done pretty well for yourself." Ichika, in Byakushiki, performed a manuever that quickly dispatched the unmanned drones.

"You, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, why are you not inside the plane? Your servants were worried about you."

"Geh, Chelsea..."

"Ojou-sama!"

"Huh?" Turning around, she sees a propeller plane approaching with two maids piloting it, Chelsea and another maid. "C-Chelsea?"

"Ojou-sama, we're coming!"

"Chelsea, no, stay back!"

The unmanned drones detected the plane. "Ah, Chelsea, we're in trouble!"

"Gr," She realized that but it's too late. "Guh!"

One unmanned drone detected them and- _blast! _"Guah!"

"Ah!"

"Chelsea, no!"

"Hm," Ichika saw fit to intervene, there are only ten minutes left before the Hysteria Zero Syndrome passes off, so he best used the make up time. He relie on the Z.E.R.O. program. "Let's do it, Byakushiki."

"Hm, I agree, let's go, white knight." A voice that is like female said.

"Hm," _Whoosh! _Ichika dashes off, the Z.E.R.O. programming giving all the advanced data and the reaction time is decreasing for the pilot, then, Ichika focuses on two things: Saving Chelsea and the other maid, then... help Cecilia along... then the passengers... analytical data... absorbed, now, resolving. Byakushiki glows golden light, as well as Ichika's eyes. "Yosh, let's go!" With Yukihira type 2 ignited, _whoosh! _he dashes off at incredible speed. That is because of the ignition boost of Byakushiki.

"Target: Con-" _Slice, boom! Slice, boom! _

"System error, does not-" _boom! _Two unmanned drones that are targetting the plane are dispatched.

"Ah, Chelsea, we're safe."

"Ah, it's thanks to..." Staring at the Byakushiki... "You... a boy? Orimura..."

"Ichika?"

_Whoosh! _Then like a shooting star, Ichika dashes off to the plane of flight 3.12, it's guarded by unmanned drones, the Z.E.R.O. programming formulated a plan, then it takes it back directly back to the pilot, giving him... _slice, slice, slice! _...absolute victory. _boom, boom, boom! _All unmanned drones are destroyed before they could react. "Sugoi." Cecilia is amazed at that, how one can predict one's movement before even the enemy itself knows what to do? "I..." Feeling helpless, she remembers the time where it was about time her parents would make up for not being with each other for awhile, but... "No, I cannot... I cannot be helpless, I..."

"Target: confirmed." While being absorbed in thought, unmanned drones have input their target on her.

"Huh?" Before she could react however... _blast, blast, boom, boom! _"G-Guah!" She isn't hit, just got blown away by the impact of the explosion that came from...

"You're too prickle, you shouldn't just staw off a distance." Ichika, who was already informed by the Z.E.R.O. program that unmanned drones would try to hit her, blocked the attack for her.

"Gr, you." Now she's even more irritate for being helpless. "You, don't look down on me!" She yelled outloud.

"Ojou-sama."

"Not now, we gotta save those passengers inside, let's go." Chelsea managed to fly near the passenger door of flight 3.12. Then she jumps in.

"H-Hey, Chelsea, wait- Gyaah!" Her skirt, the maid that is, the other one, got blown away a bit, which distracted her for a while, but then she managed to jump in as well. "Whew, that was dangerous."

"Alright, freeze you russian scum!" Chelsea aims a gun at them.

"What the-? How did you-?" _bang! _"Guh!" A stun bullet to the forehead, it won't kill him.

"B-Boss, you-!" _Bang! _"Guh! Argh... argh... uh. zzz... zz..." The other was a tranquilizer.

"Yosh, free the passengers, I'll handle the pilot upahead."

"Yosh, okay." Chelsea runs up-front to confront the pilot, he's not the mastermind though. _slide. _"Alright, everyone, stay calm."

"Freeze!"

"Guh! Guah! W-Wait, I'm not one of them, I... they jammed the controls, I can't control it, we're gonna crashed!" The pilot said in a panic while his hands are tied up.

"What?"

Meanwhile, outside... _shoock, boom! _The last of the unmanned drone is destroyed, the Z.E.R.O. programming is turned off, Byakushiki is at its normal rate again. "Whew,"

"Why did you saved me?" Cecilia asked in a melancholic manner.

"Hm? It's only natural right? We're classmate and-"

"Your chivalrous actions are hurting me!"

"What?" There's only five minutes left before the Hysteria Zero Syndrome would pass off so...

"Ever since... ever since... ever since my parents died, I swore that I would become stronger and reliable, wherein... wherein... _sob, sob. _So that the perfect man I envisioned of, would be... would be... someone... the very opposite of my father, he was troubled, and mother... and mother..." Tears... a shooting star passes by...

"...Perfect man you say, hm." Ichika flies closer to her.

"That's right, the man I have envisioned, I always thought, that I could run the family by myself, but no, I couldn't, I can't do it alone, I... cannot... not even... not even..."

"Ja, if you were to marry someone, what would you do?"

She didn't noticed that Ichika is just probably just about inches away from her face, which... "Of course I'll be able to- Huh? Hmmrngh." A kiss, that is... "Hmrngh." _Shock, shock! _It started raining, but it's not uncomfortable, it's rather serene and... beautiful. _shock! _"Hmmnrgh," She begins to feel relax.

Ichika broke the kiss. "Ja, I'll be that man, I'll treat you well, my princess."

"Uh..." Now this is new, perhaps he's the one? "Y-You, why are you..."

"You say you needed someone to watch over you right? Well, I'm offerring to be your man."

"Huh? What are you...?"

"I'm not gonna let you deal with these problems by yourself, even if the world is your enemy, I'll be your knight, through and through, until the end of the world is upon us, I'll gladly serve you, my princess!" He kneels down while in mid-air, though the balance of the IS is keeping him from this position.

"..." She is speechless, then with another shooting star falling, perhaps it's by fate that something like a string of red fate bought the princess a chance to meet the white knight she's been expecting for, this knight is a shooting star that would grant one wish, and that is... "I... will..." happiness...

"So my princess, I have to ask you..." While taking her hand...

"Wh-What?"

"Will you... will you take me as your groom?"

"..." Petals of cherry blossom falling... wedding bells echoing... and the sound of cheering people.. including... her deceased parents.

"Congratulations, Cecilia." They all exclaimed with the voices of parents being the most loudest in her hearing.

"I..." Then... with the shooting star granting the wish... she... "I... I..." Tears of... not sadness, but happiness... rolls down... and... "Yes! I do! I certainly do!" She hug the knight, her white knight. "I certainly will... Ichika... -san."

"Hm, I'm glad, you provided me with the happiness that I have yearned for." Chivalrous words.

"I-Ichika-san." Now this... is... a touching scene... if it weren't... _whoosh. _"Huh?" "Hm?" They both turn to see that the plane is crashing... down to the airport below!

"Waah! I'm loosing control!" Chelsea, who is in the pilot seat, cannot control it since it's been rigged to go to Moscow, but with the controls going haywire, it's out of charts, it's going to crash into the city below.

"What did you do?" The pilot snaps.

"I... I don't know, I just pushed the button here and there and..."

"You don't guess the controls here!"

"Chelsea, what's going on!" The other maid asked.

"I-I..."

"We're going to crash, everyone, brace yourself!" The pilot said to the passengers.

"Gyaah!" Everyone ducks in panic.

_whoosh, whoosh. _Two personal IS fly towards the plane. "Chelsea!" Cecilia, who is carrying Ichika, flies towards it, he has run out of stamina because...

"I... Hm," He has used too much effort in his Zero mode, he's worn out, it'll probably take about a lot of rest before he could regain back most of his energy, the two of them managed to get on the plane with Ichika following slowly to the pilot's seat.

"Chelsea, what's going on?"

"Ojou-sama, t-the controls..."

"They're ruined, we can't use them now!" The pilot said. The meter is showing maximum velocity and the angle won't get straight, it's venting a lot of gasses pretty fast, it's approaching the city below!

"Here, install this on the cd part. Guh." Ichika tries to use the last of his strength to request them to install a data cd that he prepared just in case something like this would happen.

"Hm? What is that?" Chelsea asked as Cecilia grabs it.

"A cd? Wha...?"

"Insert it... on... the... cock... pit, and... think only... of... landing... the... air... plane. Guh."He falls into unconcious state due to exerting a lot of effort in his Zero mode, which have subsided now. "Guh..."

"I-Ichika-san!" "Hey!"

"Let's do what he says, we have no choice." The pilot suggested.

"O-Okay, then, Chelsea, insert..."

"No, I'll do that, your maid can't be trusted with the controls."

"Hey, I know where to insert this!" Despite her protest, the pilot inserted the data cd.

"There, it's all yours."

"Okay." Cecilia sits on the pilot seat. Then all sort of data are gathered, the letter Z.E.R.O. is on the screen. "Zero?" Then the visual interface is gone, only...

"Huh? Hey, why can't we see anything? We can't land at this rate."

"Yeah, we'll..."

"No, it's quite alright." Cecilia assures both the pilot and Chelsea.

"Huh?"

"Leave this to me." Then Cecilia remembers Ichika's words before he passed off. Think only of landing he said, Cecilia touches the radar like machine and begun to think just that. "Ichika-san, watch over me." She said in her mind, then the interface begun to calculate all possible courses to take, Cecilia guides it to make a safety landing, and it did.

"Huh? Hey, the plane is moving."

"Yeah, is the machine... moving it?" The pilot is i disbelief, right now, the plane is on auto-pilot mode, but not loosely, it's being controlled by the program Z.E.R.O. and it's moving according to Cecilia's guidance.

"Hm, hm." She's getting a hang of it.

...At the airport...

_Slice, shoock, boom! _"That should be the last of it." Mission complete, class 1 has dispatched all enemies, and the men from Russia are all capture by the authorities of IS academy.

"Good job everyone, but... you all disobeyed orders, I'm expecting you to... huh?" Chifuyu berates all of them, but then a sight of a plane landing...

"Uwa, that's..."

"Flight 3.12, it's coming back but..."

"Ichika." Houki removes the helmet like apparatus, it started to stop functioning almost just before all enemies were annihilated, she concluded that something must have happened to Ichika so that the system is shut off, since it was connected to the Byakushiki after all. "Ichika!"

At this moment, the plane cannot land without a beacon, so... "Alright, Orimura-kun needs to see where to land, let's light a beacon."

"Hai, class 1, here we go!" There they go again, being hyperactive as always.

"H-Hey, everyone!" Yamada called them out.

"_sigh, _let them be Yamada. I got a full cover up on what do with the regarding their punishment." Chifuyu said.

"Huh?"

"These kids are special, perhaps, with them..."

"Ichika, over here!" Houki and the other grab each one of the landing signals, those that can light out a path for a plane to land.

"Yo, Orimu, over here!"

"Yeah, over here!" Each of them are carrying something that the attendants carry in order to guide a landing.

"Uh..."

"See? I told you they're special, hm." Chifuyu smirks at these kids, they're really are something.

Inside the pilot... the cockpit.

"Ojou-sama, there, the students are beaconing us." Chelsea said.

"I know. Hm." The Z.E.R.O. system continues to function, Cecilia focuses her mind in following the light beacons that is being signalled by her comrades in class 1. "Yosh, here we... go." With the landing wheels active, it's now time to decrease velocity... the Z.E.R.O. programming did that.

"Whoa,"

"Sugoi." Both the pilot and Chelsea are amazed at such fast technology outcome. "Sugoi, how does it...?"

The plane slowly begun to decrease velocity... then it lands on the ground, the wheels are stirring and... done, it's safe.

"Yahoo!"

"Yeah!"

"We did it!"

"Yeah!"

"Orimura! Orimura! Orimura!"

Inside the plane...

"Yosh, we did it!"

"Yeah!" The pilot and Chelsea cheered, then she goes to the passenger cabin.

"Everyone, we made it, we're now safe and sound, yahoo!"

"Yay!"

"Yeah, we're safe!"

"Darling, we safe!" Everyone celebrated the victory over this terrorism.

"_Sigh,_" Cecilia stops touching the machine, the Z.E.R.O. program signed off, given the purpose already done, and the c.d. being ejected.

"Oh, I must study this." The pilot said grabbing the c.d. which is a modified version of the Z.E.R.O. program that Ichika asked to be developed by his classmates before they set out here, using the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, he was able to do so.

"What is that?" Chelsea asked.

"I don't know, but it's look..."

"_Sigh,_" Cecilia lies down on the seat, feeling relaxed, today has been very prominent for her... it's a day of salvation, now she won't have to be alone anymore... staring at the sleeping Ichika on the floor... "Ichika-san, he, arigatou, you showed me... the light, I am forever... in your... care. Orimura Ichika."

End of Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Chapter 5: Reunion with Destiny... Again**

...at the field...

Everyone is ready for some IS manuever lessons, everyone is dressed up in their respective attire, meaning all of them wear the same fitting suit which is like a one-piece swimsuit, Cecila has one but hers is that of almost blue color, Ichika is the only one dressed in a different attire given he's the one who's the only of the opposite gender, oh, and Chifuyu and Yamada are dressed in jogging suits, as proper attire for instructors. "Then, let us begin the IS manuever class." Chifuyu said, last night was...

Flashback

_whickmp! _"Gmn!" Everyone is being scolded in a line-up position.

"Idiots, who give you permission to enter into this battle!" Chifuyu is holding a whip that is used for disciplining undisciplined disciple, sort to speak, she does not hit the student of course, but... "Who the heck gave you permission to enter, is it this idiot?" She points at the sleeping Ichika who has been deprived of all his energy, Chifuyu grabs him but he still remains unconcious. "Did he gave you specific instructions to follow?"

"Um... hai." They all said unison.

"Hmph, should have figured, I'll-"

"I'll take full responsibility." Cecilia stepped forward.

"Eh?" Everyone turns to her.

"It's because of me that they came, they wouldn't just leave a comrade in arm."

"Comrade in arm huh, and... who gave this code of moral?"

"Um..." Everyone stares at the sleeping Ichika who is being hold on to Chifuyu's grasp.

"Let me guess, him?" They all nod. "Huh, I should have known." He got let go of her. "Well, since you guys were successful in dismantling the commotion here, I suppose I should drop all offense in this matter," Everyone is relieved at this, "But, If I hear any of you involved with something like this again..." Here it comes, everyone swallows their saliva to prepare for the grand... "I'll make sure that you guys are informed."

"Eh?" Everyone is surprised at that. Did they hear that right? They'll be informed should a comrade in arm is in danger again?

"O-Orimura-sensei?" Even Yamada is in shock.

"You guys did well in your tactical plan, how did you do that?"

"Uh well..." They all turn to Houki.

"Well, I..."

End of flashback

"Z.E.R.O. programming huh." Right after Ichika used that program on Byakushiki, he has inputed it through imagination, IS are said to be manuevered through the use of the user's imagination, as such, even though the machine is just an equipment, the user themselves feel all the things that one IS can touch, bisected with and all forms of senses it may manifested through the user, so it's like bonding as the way of personal IS users tend to bond with their IS more than anything else as they are willing to put their well-being into them like they are both sides of a same coin. In Ichika's case, the Z.E.R.O. programming was "inserted" through by his Hysteria Zero Syndrome, in which his mentality was being reflected on, as such, he has a good imagination during at this state, through this imagination in his Hysteria Zero syndrome, he has managed to "input" the system on Byakushiki, though he can't say the same if he's not in this mode, in fact, the other night, it took about at least four hours after six in the morning to rest up, and even that seems not enough, he has exerted a lot using that syndrome, as such, during class, he received two at least hit from Chifuyu for being lazy as she said, though he claims he's not in any condition to pay attention due to the lack energy to which Chifuyu dismissed that he just overslept but this clearly proven wrong right after the nurse in the clinic confirmed that he is indeed lacking of energy, Chifuyu asked for why but it was just concluded that he has exerted a lot of force during the day, specifically, when Ichika was using the Z.E.R.O. programming, his mentality was being pushed to the edge, his only focus that time was to guide the system so that it may not overload his mind, the humand mind can be complexed as evident of how he was able to come up with that kind of tactical system that he has managed to "input" into the Byakushiki interface through the use of imagination, that's how IS works as mentioned, they are operated through the mind of the user and right now, it's been almost about seven days after Ichika was really exhausted, Cecilia, Houki and the rest of class 1 would visit him from time to time, right now, he's not yet fully recuperated so he still lack some energy, in fact, he can barely keep an eye out for the lessons this morning, he can just lift his head after it was drowning out and then pretend he was listening, but in the end, it proved to be a failure, as Chifuyu just allowed him to rest at the nurse's office for a while, not that he has a sick or fever but that he won't be able to learn anything at his rate and the students are quite getting distracted as his distraught face which is like a helpless man that is drowning out in the middle of the sea, well, in a manner of allegory.

"Orimura, are you in any condition to fly on your own?"

"Eh?" He didn't noticed it because of his groggy state, but he was being called out by Chifuyu. "Oh uh..."

"I said you and Alcott would demonstrate what to do in aerial manuevers, can you do that?"

"Uh..." To be honest, he can't, but he's been skipping some learning sessions so he'll have to try his best. "Uh no, I think I can..."

"Yosh, ja, hurry up and deployed your IS."

"Hai." Raising the gauntlet... nothing happens. "Eh? Huh?"

"Hurry up and do it, simply use your imagination."

"..." Closing his eyes... _flash! _Success.

"Too slow, an average user would have been able to do that within 0.01 second."

"Hai..." What to expect actually? He's not in his top condition and on top of that, the Hysteria Zero Syndrome seems to be working but it's not taking over, it's too exhausted right now, only partial of the blood is rising up at the sight of some of the girls here in swimsuits, well, almost like swimsuits attire, but Ichika seems to have developed an habit to stop it from arising by using his own will to do it, it's quite simply actually, simply with the right emotion and sense that he can do it, now he's getting a hang of it.

"Ja, Alcott, look after him."

"Hai, sa, Ichika-san, let's go."

"Hai." _Whoosh! _Cecilia is the first to take off, followed by... _Whoos- _"Wa, w-whooa!" Since he's in his groggy state still, he cannot seem to work out his mind to manuever the IS, it requires a sharp mind to dodge one single attack, a mental retarded guy would probably have a hard time accelerating at this state, so when piloting an IS, it requires the individual to be fully open-minded, but Ichika manages to fly regardless, in a slow way though.

"You're slow, even average IS users can do better than that." Even though he's used to Chifuyu's harsh, cold words, he wouldn't mind being given a break due to all the mental burden he has right now, one; his Hysteria Zero Syndrome is dropped out, meaning it won't be activated for some time, and second; he ponders about what happened that night, as far as he can recall, all of class 1 suffered because of his actions though according to the class, they gladly suffer it, and there were no punishments done to them anyway, courtesy of their actions that night that saved both Cecilia and the Alcott inheritence, which leads also to...

"_Sigh, _average IS huh, hm, does this mean I'm lower than... gr,"

"Use imagination." Cecilia said.

"Eh?" They can hear each other clearly through interface, even there is a slight distance between them, it does work very cleary and distinctly.

"The IS armaments can be deployed through a quick thinking and durable combat manuevers can be done by simply thinking of a way you can relax your mind."

"Relax my mind huh..." During his state in using the Z.E.R.O. programming, his mentality was being pushed so hard that he didn't have time to react, he didn't have to anyway, before a decision is make, the system takes care of that, not even the slightest machine can beat it as that seem to be very durable that it requires no decision-making process time just before an action is initiated. That and the unstoppable urges would help but sadly, in his state, he cannot "insert" the program to the interfece right now.

"Come on Ichika-san, you should be able to imagine how durable your movements are when you are flying."

"Even if you say that, I can't say I'm actually flying, the advance thrusters are too..." Too complex for one's brain it seems, the human brain cannot process all the data together all at once, that would be like processing a number symbols of numerals which is similar to a calculator doing all sort of mathematics and the user will have to suffer... what can say? Perhaps one's brain might get damaged from thinking too much, Ichika certainly been that way, given all the logical thinking process that he's enduring whenever he's in Zero's mode, his brain can certainly take a break for a while from such baseless... well, not exactly baseless but he's been wondering about that eccentric guy who planted this type of blood on his vibes and he cannot help but wonder that maybe this guy... no, thinking of such paranormal things will only exhaust his mentality as it is, he hasn't been feeling well for the couple days, his guess is probably because he exerted a lot of force during his confrontation with the unmanned drones and russian spies that night at the airport, through the next courses of days, he was instructed and guided by Cecilia on how to operate Byakushiki, he remembers his promise to her while in Zero mode... and as a gentleman, he has no choice but to carry it out, or at least, that's part of his moral code and those who break it are no longer classified chivalrous person so best not broke it, or less... less he suffer the spartan way of Chifuyu, who has strictly made him devoted to this moral no matter what the situation is. "Ma, I guess I'll just deal with it."

"Oh Ichika-san, that's no good, and I was offering you good lesson, hoho."

"Hm?" And there she was again, ever since she transferred here, she seems to be lacking any smile on her british accent face, until recently when she is rescued by her comrades of class 1. Ichika has just noticed that she keeps adding "-san" as suffix for him in pronouncing his name, his first name too instead of Orimura like what most everybody would call him, with a suffix "-kun" on it as well, though normally... nah, cute guys are often referred as that, though Ichika would not certainly mind with simply Ichika without any something like that because...

"Ichika! How long do you keep planning to fly up there!" A loud voice echoed throughout the field, her voice is loudened by the communicator that she took from Yamada, it's Houki.

"S-Shinonono-san, please give me back my intercom..." She said in a stuttering tone.

"Houki..."

"Well, Ichika-san, let us go back now." Cecilia is the first to manuever a falling landing way to the ground, it's simply by imagining she said, perhaps one can imagine being blown by the wind and then fly downward.

"Land huh... yosh." Ichika does that kind of thinking but... "Hm?" To his dismay... he is flying to the current of the wind to which... to which there is no stop! "A-Ahh!" _Bluuncchttz! _A large hole is inflicted on the ground, there is an indicating that an IS fell from the sky... that much is obvious.

"Gyah!" Everyone is blown away a bit.

"O-Orimura-kun!"

"Yare, yare... idiot, who gave you order to make a hole on the ground?" The instructors tend to the damage. "Practice more of your manuever and you'll get a hang out of it."

"Guh, even if you say that..." Ichika rubs his head that is on the ground, filled with dirt.

"You're pathetic Ichika, I thought I told you... Guah."

"Ichika-san, are you alright?"

"Uh yeah, I'm fine, just a little... dirty, and... _yaawn,_ tired."

"Ua, you're still lacking energy are you? You shouldn't have tried that out if you're tired."

"Idiot, you could have just told me that you're still lacking of energy, and I wouldn't have called you." Perhaps there is still some reasoning into Chifuyu. Cecilia stepped in as Houki was about to berate Ichika for his weakness, well, not like everyone has the same strength and weaknesses, and too much expectation will lead to heartbreak, or is it mental retardation?

"Hai, hai, _yaaawn, _anyway, can I have some rest?"

"Ah, sure, but make sure you are free for some extra training this afternoon, if you got the strength."

"Sure, _yaawn, _ja, ja ne."

"Ah wait, Ichika-san, you need escorting right? I'll esc-"

"I'll do that, I'm the one who trains Ichika so buzz off." Houki interjected to Cecilia's proposal of escort.

"Ara, Shinonono-san, can you teach personal IS manuevers? Or can you simply use lowdown methods to teach?" A mockery of sort.

"Compare to a british accent girl, I can do just fine." The two share a glare.

"What are they glaring for?" Ichika is bewildered though.

...Lunchtime, at the hall

"_Sigh, _it's been seven days and I still haven't recovered all of my strength." Ichika said in his mind as he wanders on the hall, thinking of what he'll eat, some girls are murmuring about him being able to save Cecilia that night as he passes by, and of course, his newfound popularity rose up as well, making him the most at least, one of the popular people in the school, if not the most, in this world, it seems those who tend to cherish their bonds of others are those who will prevail in the end, most of which are of course tending to cast aside their own problems and situation and would just rely on solving others' problem for the sake of spending their time on Earth.

...Outside the main lobby building...

"This is the place huh?" A certain foreigner comes across the main lobby building, her twintails are one of her attractive posture, the other is her petite body and... well, to speak plainly, she's of the Chinese nationality and she has come here to visit a childhood friend who she misses so much, so much that she would leave her own country behind in order to be with that person, yes, childhood acquiantances are probably the most well-known individual to those who know them around. "Sa te, I better go in," Despite how Japanese she may look, she is indeed of the Chinese nationality, her name is Lingyin Huang, the representative candidate of China and the childhood friend of... "Wonder where he is, if he's going to be here, the least he could do is show himself." One of Ling, for short, habits is that she is sometimes too boastful of her abilities and she's quite... energetic to the point that the rain of cheefulness and energized atmosphere could roam the entire hall at any minute that people might become too bossy as well, or at least, that's what that certain childhood friend would say or think. "Well then, first things first is... the reception hall is..." Looking around, there are a lot facilities here that the map around won't be able to help anyone who is being pinpointed in various direction, so best just rely on one's own intellect. "Guah, this place is huge, how am I supposed to..."

"Ne, Houki, what do you-"

"Urusai, I'll deal with kendo practice later, I'll teach you later afterwards."

"I'm still tired, can you-"

"No excuses! You've been slacking training ever since that night, we got a lot of catching up!"

"Guh, right." Ichika moans his fate, this is like catching up to a lot of subjects that one missed, so why all the lack of energy? Well, he still needs to rest it seems, during all the ordeal that he went through that night.

"Ichika? You..." The girl with twintails recognize him, there's no way she'll mistake him for someone else. 'That's him! That's him alright, but... who is that girl? And why is he closed to her?' With thoughts, with rage, firing on her head, she decided to settle the score, according to her, with him. Then in a moment, she spotted a woman in a counter, that must be the receptionist. "Excuse me."

"H-Hai?" She is taken by surprise as things become busy here, ever since the first beginning of the semester, everything seems to be running smoothly except that everything has become chaotic after the incident that time that most of the staff are ready for anything that might be a relevant manner. Concerning the students, class 1 has sort of become popular due to the leadership of their class representative, Orimura Ichika, and the feat they performed at the airport, the maids were also greatful to Ichika, even referring to him as Goshujin-sama, master in a manner of case it seems, they have cleaned the Orimura residence in Ichika's absence, as well as Chifuyu's absence, they return there from time to time to make sure it's clean, as a token of gratitude for taking ther ojou-sama under his care. Anyway, Ling has just finished all necessary prerequisites to qualify her as a student here in the academy. "Everything seems to be in order, welcome to academy Huang Lingyin-san!"

"Hai, say, is the representative for class 2 taken?"

"Eh? Uh yes, I believe so and..."

"Is there a name Ichika, Orimura Ichika in this school?" Quick questions are being asked, simple, yet demanding.

"Eh? Oh the class representative of class 1? Yes, he just entered into the academy and saved one of their classmates there I think, I think he'll be leading the entire class soon, as expected of Orimura Chifuyu-san's brother!" While it is some women's nature to gossip, perhaps most of them, it would seem that Ichika will continue to spread some name all over the campus, either it is willingly or not, his Hysteria Zero Syndrome will do it anyway.

"Who's the name of the class representative of class 2?" Another demanding question.

"Eh? Wh-Why if I may ask?"

"I would like to know if she would relinquish the title to me?" Perhaps it is because of the veins in her that the receptionist if feeling uneasy.

...Meanwhile, at the cafeteria.

"Orimura-kun, congratulations!"

"Congratulations!" Since they never really got any time to celebrate like last time, when they rescued Cecilia and the family inheritence, the rest of class 1 decided to celebrate, without... without a certain someone'sa concession.

'What's with this?' He thought, there are balloons all over the place and label like designs with the words "congratulations, Orimura!" on them. 'I don't want to celebrate, I don't want to celebrate at all! What's with all this?'

"Orimura-kun, do you have any opening words before we all start celebrating?" The cafeteria is pretty deserted because most of the students around were bribed, sort to speak, by the students of class 1, claiming that an important event is taking place, it's pretty much like abusal, but since they were ranked sort of popular because of what they did, they a right to claim the place as their own but this only once of course, Ichika is the guests 'host' as they put it, he's the one doing all the answering. The head of the newspaper club, Kaoruko Mayuzumi, is doing all the questions for him, well, since a scoop is needed, they want to get some answers.

"Well..." 'What am I supposed to say? Geez, at this time, I wish this other me would just resurface and do all the answering.' He refers to the Zero mode as his other self, though that's just one way of distinguishing it, that other him as he claims is actually him in a way that he's just... confidence whenever he's in that mode. "Uh well..." _blurgh. _The blood is rising but not to the fullest due to it being overused a day the other night.

"You sure are popular Ichika." Both Houki and Cecilia are sitting beside him and Houki pretty much stated the obvious.

"Huh? Why would you say that? It's just weird that I'm the only guy here."

"Hmph," She scoffs at that. "What now?"

"So any opening statements? Declaration of war or something?" Kaoruko keeps pressing on to the topic of declaration or something.

"Uh well... geez," 'Think Ichika, think, hm... at this rate, everyone will be counting on me, but... I'm still tired.' _bluurgh, _even though the blood is rising, it's not at its full extent, perhaps Ichika has gotten used to staring... no, he's not doing that! Okay, maybe he does, but not through intently, and he's... well, all guys are interested in women's... no, better not get to that and the only guys who doesn't... well, thinking of it is tiring and disgusting so best not go there as well. "Well, I guess I'll do my best and that's it."

"Eh, that's it? No opening statements about your victory or something?"

'Victory? Oh, she's referring to that time where we rescued Cecilia."

"I'll take care of that." Cecilia stood up. "As this class representative of England, I have a opening statement."

"Ooray!" Everyone cheered, some of which are holding a tea cup and cake plate. There are some cake in the table despite no one's birthday, cakes aren't the only dessert that are used for birthdays anyway, and... they're delicious, Ichika just tasted one, this one were cooked by Nohohon-san and the rest of the cooking club, they seem to be good despite how clumsy they may look, especially Nohohon-san who could seem to tumble at any moment.

"So Cecilia-san, what is your opening statement to Orimura Ichika's private operation to your rescue?"

A mic is offered to her and she begun to speak in a high, mighty tone. "Ahem, well, let's see... hehe, at first, I..."

She begun to talk about in great detail what happened in the sky, Ichika could not access the Z.E.R.O. programming due to him... well, it seems he needs to be in Zero mode before accessing it, because it needs to be that his mentality to work at its best before the system could be accessed. Ichika remembered that he copied a modified version of that programming, he offered it to the pilot of the plane of flight 3.12 since he was eager to study it and he didn't need it anymore, he could only hope that the other guy, The Zero mode, would emerge now in order to fix things, but sadly, he's on vacation, sort to speak, well, not like Ichika is willing to activate it through sexual harassment, he knows not to break his code that Chifuyu made it clear as stone that he wouldn't break it no matter what, the code of a chivalrous person, so... "Well, I wonder what can I..."

"Ichika!" A loud voice said in the corner, at the door actually.

"Hm? Who...?" Since it was his first name that was mentioned, he turned to it, there he sees a twintail, petite body of a female student who seems to be... familiar in many ways... "You..."

"Hm?" Everyone else turns to her.

"That's..." Cecilia said.

"Hey, Ichika, who is-" Houki asked before Ichika stood up.

"You are... Rin?" Right, since that's the name Ichika came to call her by, he called her as such, her name was made fun of it when she was staying in Japan at early age and Ichika defended her from such bullies until she herself practiced to become a representative candidate, right, this girl is... another childhood friend besides Houki, she's the second and Houk is the first when it comes to... well... "You're Rin right?" Ichika becomes excited at the sight of that familiar face with emerald eyes.

"That's right, I'm the IS representative candidate of China, Fann Ling! Also known as..." _Thuck! _"Ow, that hurt... who... Guh,"

"You're on the way, move it."

"H-Hai, C-Chifuyu-san..." Right, since Chifuyu is the embodiment of authority around here who can send shiver in the spine of men, and women, she also frightends Ling to some degree, a lot, actually.

"That's Orimura-sensei, you're blocking the way, and you guys..." Concerning about making the cafeteria a private party location right now... "I heard you guys took the place by right here, are you aware that you're taking advantage of the situation?" Right, about that...

"Uh, Chifuyu-nee, we..." _Thud! _"Guah!" Ichika got tossed, an attendance book on his face that is.

"Orimura-sensei is what you should call me, well, who made this idea?"

"..." Everyone raises their hand, all except for Houki who merely tags along, Cecilia is included since she herself was excited about this idea.

"Hmph, should have figured, well, go ahead." She waves at them as she left, followed by Yamada who bowed politely in courtesy of their intruding here, sort to speak.

"Eh?"

"Hm?"

"Eh?" Everyone, Ichika, the whole class and Ling are surprised at that, it's surprising that Chifuyu wouldn't be against this so-called made up party for our leader and class representative Orimura Ichika thing.

"Wow, that was... new."

"Hm," Everyone nodded at Kaoruko's comment.

Then, back to some certain matter at hand. "Rin, that's you right?" Ichika asked again.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm the class representative of class 2, ha ha! And I'm here to wage war on you guys!" She said that with a pointed hand.

"..."

"..." Everyone has nothing to say though, though Cecilia is quite furious at her overconfident attitude. And Houki is quite suspicious of Ichika of his allegiances with this girl, if there are many in the first place.

"Haha, what's with that attitude Rin? You're being too rude to everyone, so quit with the bluffing?"

"Wh-What? What's with that response? You're not taking me too seriously aren't you?" Well frankly, there's no reason for him to take her seriously on her words since he has grown quite used to her boastful attitude.

"Haha, still the same as ever huh?"

"The same?" Everyone asked suspiciously.

"Ichika, who is this!" "Ichika-san, I demand an explanation for this!" Both Houki and Cecilia said grabbing Ichika on his seating position.

...Later...

"Well it's kinda like that, Houki is the first childhood friend I had and Rin is the second, it just about a six year apart and..." Ichika explained the angle, or meter of how long he got separated from Houki for a time then Rin stepped in and assume her role as childhood friend, sort the least. The party continues with Rin, who is not a student in class 1, sitting beside Ichika, with Houki and Cecilia accompanying them.

"Oh, so this is that blunt girl you told me about." Rin sounds sluggish in her statement, why? Well, since she is ranked, sort to speak, second to the childhood meter that Ichika came upon with, that would make her second... as in second, as in number 2, as in second to... to almost anything, well, if second means anything literally, well, there's that second in hand in a race wherein if you raise it, you will signal something like you will win the second prize which is much more lower than the first and then there's another prize for the second with the title "second" on it with a capital S on it, which... does not satisfy Rin at all actually, and Houki whos is the first.

"First, I'm the first, _sigh._" She seems to relieved for some reason with one fatal flaw...

"So Ichika, I heard you've been quite popular lately, come on, you gotta show more of your weakly skill and... and... get sick or something!"

"...?" 'What doest that mean? I'm already sick actually, with the other me still resting up, I feel like I'm a workholic guy who can't even catch a break.' He wonders on what she means by that while Houki could only speculates that she must have got to know Ichika during middle school where she, and a certain family who runs a restaurant near the Orimura residence, with maids this time on it, Cecilia's maids to be exact, and him, Ichika, must have gone through happier times, well, not counting the fact that Ichika gets all flustered when Rin and that certain girl of a family who runs a restaurant would get into an argument about their cooking and Ichika could feel a squal passing by. Well, if that squal is so violent, everything would collide, and everyone around, specially that brother of that girl who runs a family restaurant, would just stand aside, not wanting to do anything with it. "Well Rin, I didn't asked this before but, why are you here?" Not that he's being rude, but Rin being here must mean something.

"What? Can't a representative candidate like me with high standards can't test out my skills? And more importantly, I went here to... to..." She looks down while blushing.

"Hm?"

"N-Nothing." She said looking away while drinking her juice while murmuring something like "Ichika hasn't changed..."

"Hm?" Ichika heard only his name being spoken softly. "What the..."

_Thobt! _"Ichika, what is the meaning of this! Who exactly is this girl!" "Ichika-san, give me a full details of her identity!" Both Houki and Cecilia slammed on the table.

"Ah well, let me see, she's uh... she'... she and family runs a restaurant near our place and auntie pretty much let me stay in and uh... she... cook... delicious ramen for me." Right, ramen is the best food in the evening, sometimes during lunch in the afternoon as well, Ichika often go there to eat and have a sleepover sometimes, well, when Chifuyu was not around that is, that is when Ichika is permitted to go to the other house if no one, well, if Ichika doesn't mind being alone, that and many other things transpired during those happy times. Unless of course...

"A family restaurant you say huh? Hm," Houki turns to Rin. "So you're that chinese girl I heard so much about, so... can you cook pasta?" That was meant as an insult, pasta really means something like... 'can you cook even the slightest noodles that does not require chinese hands...?'

"Huh? Pasta? Why? Your Japanese tongue has grown tired of your own sovereign lands?" That was more likely an insult as well like it was saying 'you call yourself a japanese girl samurai and you can't even honor the culture of your own land your worthless nitwit?'. Then all sort of thunder bolts echoed, or it's just in Ichika's mind as he concluded something like he saw a spark or something. "Perhaps we should introduce ourselves first, nice to mee you, I'm Lingyin Huang, pleasure to known you Shinonono-san."

"Same here, I'm Shinonono Houki, pleasure to be your acquiantance Ling-san." Same greeting and same graceful greeting with the exception of... something like a tiger and dragon representing their own country are colliding as the two girls smile wearily at each other.

"Huh? Did I just saw another spark or something? Hm, must be my imagination." Ichika, again, dismisses such truths in his eyes, the eye can see... the eye can see... the eye can see... the eye can see... "..." _blurrgh... blurgh. _The eye can see... the eye can see... the eye can see! That petite body of Rin is attractive as well as her shoulders! That is enough to empower the "other Ichika" as he put it, but it seems to be retiring still, but... Ichika can feel it's regaining its strength, and it's only a matter of time before...

_Slam! _"Hey, why am I not on the topic? Don't you know me? The IS representative of England, Cecilia Alcott?" Cecilia butt in, with the exception of one distraction that is making the blood in Ichika's spinal cord go rise up.

"..." There is a slight black tie of a... bra on Cecilia's chest, she must have slip it open during all the wild party earlier when everyone was doing whatever the heck they want. _blurrgh, blurrgh. _'Yabe, if this keeps up, that other me will take over again, I don't need him right now, come on other me, wait there for a little longer, I don't... need... you... right... guaah!"

"What? What? What was that..." Nohohon-san and the other butt in, adding to the flames of fluid of blood or something, it's hot, too hot, almost, almost...

"Sorry, but I don't know who you are?" Rin said in respond to Cecilia's question earlier.

"Wha- You really said it didn't you, you really don't know my third generation IS, the blue tears don't you?" She said almost challenging her.

"Sorry, but my third generation IS, the Shenlong, is all I heard about kicking the others' circuit and them being blown to pieces." As usual, Rin is quite bossy and boastful of her attitude, but that's not the problem for Ichika at the moment...

"...U... Urg... What am I..." Due to all the girls that gathered, he could only turn his attention to Rin, who is sharing an accomplishment competition about their IS and their remark as being a representative candidate and other kind stuff that doesn't involve him in many ways, since he has no intention of becoming one himself, being class representative of class 1 is enough of a burden of him that he doesn't wish to add up any further. Including... "..." 'Calm down, deep breaths, keep focusing on Rin, do not mind the others, even though Rin's petite- THERE I GO AGAIN! Stop, stop, stop! Not there! Not... there..." _blurgh, blurgh. _Too late, here he comes... the demon's uprising. _blurrgh, blurrgh, bluurrgh! _Hysteria Zero Syndrome! After resting up for at least a week, Ichika is back to his... other self mode as he put it, he frequently makes appearance for at least 2 hours, then Ichika will feel exhausted and would ponder of what he will be doing while in this mode, make no mistake, he _is _awake whenever he is at this mode, only that his attitude is a little different unlike in the normal Ichika who would just be friendly to anyone, mostly girls since everyone is a girl here besides him, and the fact that mostly are girls which makes him in a different position is making him a little difficult in manuevering the appearance of this other guy, Ichika has developed an habit to stop him from arising, but whenever the storm calms, he seem to be having difficulty in suppressing him from inside his... well, where he cames from, either way, this so-called other Ichika is not really a different consciousness or any other person other than himself, only a confident one of course. "Ha, ha ha." He begun to smirk usually whenever he's in this mode, and of course, his often chivalrous side would emerge. "So, who wants to get feed on? Since you guys went throughout the trouble to cook all this for me, why won't I return your gentle kindness for one?" He said offering a spoon to all his classmates, except Rin who is not from class 1 of course, but...

"Huh?" Everyone is bewildered by the offer, and the kind words, not like they are reluctant to accept the offer but...

"But, O-Orimu we..." Nohohon-san is the first to speak up, she's been hungry along with her other two friends who often eat snacks at around the time before midnight at their room together, they are cramped up in there obviously, one roommate is enough cramped up room, but three? Well, kidding aside.

"We uh, ha ha, we prepare this for you so..."

"Nonsense, I can't eat all this, and besides, just having you guys cook for me is making so the happiest man on Earth already." He said that while smiling.

"..." Everyone blushes at that, chivalrous words seem to be the best interest of men to say when speaking about the accomplishments of women.

"Oh ha ha, a-arigatou-gozaimasu."

"Yeah, well, ha ha, we didn't reallly..." Everyone started mutterring something like "arigatou" and "we didn't really..." or something like that, while facing about any direction to avoid contact with the smiling Ichika.

"Come on, don't be modest, come on, whoever comes up first get this special mustard of something." He said offerring the last of the mustard sauce.

"Mmnrg." It's just as Rin suspected, or at least she concluded with his behavior at the moment. "Ichika, you bastard." She imagines Ichika enjoying herself... she can't even identify the right gender it seems at the moment, Ichika himself that is, is enjoying himseld at the company of these girls from class 1 and her... being in class 2. "Mmrgn." Not really being the last in a race, sort to speak, she stood up and went to Ichika. "Here, Ichika, aah, if they won't go, I'll go."

"...!" Everyone felt like they've been usurped by the oppurtinity to take the chance.

"Hm? But Rin, these are for my friends, but don't worry, I have a special treatment for you later."

"Eh?"

"Eh?" Everyone wonders about that.

"Oh sorry, I gotta go for a while, ja, I guess you guys can continue your business without me, ja, see you around my lovely comrades." He said with a blow of kiss towards them.

"..." Which of course, due to the women's nature of being romantically bid farewell with, blush at the sight of Ichika leaving the cafeteria slowly. "Ah... ah. Ah~" They all fall down on the floor dreamily.

"Ah, Orimura-kun."

"Ah, what a sweet guy."

"Ah." They all started to murmur all sort of complimenting words towards him.

"..."

"..."

"..." Houki, Rin and Cecilia are the only ones who are still at the seats.

"Ichika, you... weak... bastard."

"You cheating man."

"Ichika, you... what the heck have you been up to here?" Rin crushed the mustard souce, leaving it all empty once and for all while Houki and Cecilia merely grunted at Ichika's flirtful matter of attitude.

...At the hallway

Ichika is humming to himself of how just this is another joyful day to be with the comrade of arms of class 1 and of course, the reunion with the childhood friend, he comes here because there's something Chifuyu would like to ask him about regarding a recent manuever practice that he performed during the rescue Cecilia operation.

...At the field

"Orimura, you're here, good. I would like to ask you something." Chifuyu asked Ichika to deploy Byakushiki, in its closed form, on the ground, then she walks to it, examining the compartments for something.

"Sure, what is it? Anything I can help with will surely be appreciable to you." Ichika is speeking in his usual confidence tone to which he is still in his Zero mode still.

"Right," Chifuyu has noticed this behavior of him from time to time, though as to why, she would just conclude that he's doing his code of moral and sometimes she would just say he's an idiot who is acting all cheeful but that aside. "I would like to ask you something about regarding the battle that took place the other night."

"What is it? If you're asking the punishment, I-"

"No, that's not why I'm here, I would like to ask just what sort of system did you used to get a tactical advantage of the situation. How did you do it? Like how did you know when and how to attack the unmanned drones from which you sent that tactical data to Shinonono through that analysis helmet that you guys used to manuever the battle with his, how did you do that?"

"Ha ah, well, it's as they say Chifuyu-nee, we-" _Whoosh! _During at this mode that he can also dodge Chifuyu's notebook of attendance when addressing to her as such. "Sorry, Orimura-sensei, I'll punish myself." _Thunk! _He stamped the book on his own head with force, well, slightly. "Ha ha."

"..." Chifuyu thinks he's an idiot for his action but she didn't bother to move forward about it. "Well anyway, answer me this, how did you-"

"You want to know how I was able to perform beyond my limits right?" He said looking down with a shadowy smile upon his face.

"Uh yeah, that, how are you...?"

"Like love will overcome anything Chi- I mean, Orimura-sense, like me loving you no matter how you act, I moved with everything I can and Byakushiki saw fit to aid me in rescuing a comrade in arm."

"...You say you controlled the IS with just your mentality? You focused solely on rescuing Cecilia and it responded to you?"

"Hai, that's the short version of it." It seems endless possibilities are possible when it comes to love and that stuff.

"..." Chifuyu knows that an IS is manuevered through the mind of the individual, and perhaps due to Ichika's devotion of rescuing anyone in trouble that he was able to insert some sort of programming to Byakushiki that helped him manuever the situation lightly. "Well, I suppose that's all I have to tell you, that is all, here, you can have it back." She pushed the button to put Byakushiki back into its closed form in a form of a gauntlet and tossed it back to Ichika.

"Hai, ne, Chifu-" _Chop! _

"Orimura-sensei is what you should call me." He got chopped on the face, since the notebook for attendance is still in his possession. "I'll be taking that back." She asked for it to be return to her grasp.

"Hai, Orimura-sensei." He said putting the book on her palm, then she removed her face chopping arm on Ichika's face. "_Sigh, _I'm sorry."

"Just don't get used to that habit." Chifuyu is about to leave when...

"Ne, Chifuyu-nee."

"I said call me-"

"Regarding that, if I'm going to get kicked, chopped or get hit by your book, I wouldn't mind if we call each other by simply through family means."

"Hmph, that would be violation of the rules, so no." She's about to walk off.

"Huh, _sigh._" Ichika left feeling distress that she merely shrugged him off.

"..." Chifuyu eyes him on as he left. "...Hm, family huh, hm." Perhaps feeling remorse for her disapproving of calling each other family, she feels like she has the right to be said and be grieveful of the situation since... well, long time ago, she decided that she would just forsake her own feelings into this matter and just go about living without feeling anything at all since she considers that having emotional attachment will only lead to heartbreaking ache on the heart, but... this kind of philosophy is only troubling him more as well as her since it's splitting them apart, if there's one thing Chifuyu's philosophy could not melt is that something that is in her heart that she cherishes, without it, she would fall apart by now, why? Because like strength is necessary in a battle, strength without conviction means nothing as a life that is lacking of happiness is nothing since when one walks in the world without such thing, one will find they can't even lay one foot to the outside world and even go about anywhere without such thing as happiness, so best not go the path of loneliness and solitude. "_Sigh, _I'm an idiot."

"Here, you might want this, since it's getting cold." Ichika comes back with a towel.

"Huh?" She finds herself being caressed by her own younger brother by wrapping the towel around her shoulders and him rubbing her shoulders gently. "...What are you doing?"

"Can't a guy normally treat her promptly? Ha ha, I refer to you of course, can't a guy keep her being so comfortable and warm?"

"..." Now this is a family moment, one thing that Chifuyu could get herself to like. "...Thanks, I don't know what's going on in your head, but I'm appreciable."

"Ah, sure, well, gotta go, gotta train with Houki and Cecilia at the field." He goes towards the two figures, Houki and Cecilia, at the middle of the field.

"Ah sure." Ichika bids farewell and she just sees him off. "Ichika, hm." She's happy he's hanging around at the right people, without them, she doubt she would be able to keep him happy and enjoyable with her lifestyle that is filled with habits of being reclusive and uncomfortable around one's emotion of loneliness when not seeing her own family happy, and more than that, perhaps due to the life emptiness she had led that she's relying on her own brother for a pillar of support that she desperately seeks for, not after the death of their parents that he was able to cope up with things while she's not, she's always reclusive and would not get along well with others with the exception of Tabane, who she's closed with and sometimes would come up a conversation with Chifuyu always shutting her off whenever she goes about her pride about her latest invention or something, then there's some, life... is perfect with Ichika around. She takes her leave with that thought.

"You're slow, hurry up and get in line!"

"That's right Ichika-san, we'll be teaching about close range manuevers as well as aerial manuvers."

"Hai, sorry."

...Later, after a bit of two hours of practice session...

"_huff, huff, _I'm beat." After the Hysteria Zero Syndrome has passed off for about after two hours, Ichika finds to catching up to be difficult due to his mentality not at its best and him being overpowered by both Houki, who is using a Practice IS, and Cecilia, using the blue tears, her own personal IS. He lies on the ground breathing, and he finds his arms and legs to be numb as he cannot feel them. During the training session, he did managed to keep up with the two girls though right after about an hour, he begun to show some flaws, many flaws actually and then there was nothing else after that, beat up, getting a hit on the head by Houki's sword and then... the blue tears weapon pods which Cecilia described as the tears of heaven's angel which Ichika should accept as fitting punishment for about Rin earlier and his flirty attitude earlier, which buffles him.

"Ah, that's a good warm-up, see you again tomorrow Ichika-san." Cecilia leaves after putting her IS into its closed form.

"You're too slow Ichika, you should have been able to keep up like you did early just now." Right, after being dismantled of the Zero mode, Ichika could barely keep up, he didn't used the Z.E.R.O. programming since there was no need too anyway. "Well, that's it for training session, no slacking off now."

"Hai."

...At the lockers

Ichika comes here, feeling sweaty. "Ah, what a rough night." He said wrapping a towel around his neck. _Thwuckt! _"Guah!" A cold thing is enthrusted behind the back of his neck "Huh?"

"Ha ha, you look sweaty, you'll smell like stinks if you don't eat something." It's Rin carrying a bottle of water.

"Oh, it's you Rin. Huh."

"Huh? What's with that attitude? It's like you don't want me around."

"Uh well, no, I..." She sits beside him. "Well, how should I put this, ever since... ever since..." Ever since she moved out, there were martial issues regarding her parents, they're now on their separate ways and now, Ichika feels like he should at least confide into Rin about something that would cheer her up. "Well, Rin, are you... okay with your current living? Given that... your parents..."

"Oh uh yeah," Despite her still cheery disposition, she seems to be in a state of melancholy about that topic as she holds the bottle of water between her legs, which caught Ichika's eyes but then he decided to just turn away from it, since... well, the other guy have subsided for now, it's been an hour after that, he needs at least three or more hours to fully reactivate again, and once again, he finds himself learning how to disable him from time to time, like he's now getting a hang out of it and he'll be able to control it soon. "So Ichika, how have you been doing? I heard you were the first male IS, and it was a shock, even to my mom, that you were now the most popular in the world!"

"Popular guy in the world...? Huh, I bet they just find it weird that they can actually think that a guy like me would be able to pilot an IS." Byakushiki literally means white expressions if one can speak in... that's not important, right now Rin is feeling she's stupefied about Ichika's obliviousness about his own surrounding and environment that is full of girls.

"Oh, I see. _Sigh._" She pities the girls who are oblivious to him, well, not like he does not acknowledge their presence, but it'll be pretty rude if he doesn't at least... be... sensitive, in a way that they might end up getting him stab or beat up at least.

"Well anyway, there's something I want to ask you Rin, it's been for a while, but... Did you-"

"Anyway, I got something to ask you." She interrupted his first question. "Hey, do you... remember?"

"Huh? Remember what?"

"W-Well, I..." Feeling something like a long buried past is coming back, she feels like answering. "You do remember that... when I became an excellent cook. You would..." Right, that promised of two childhood friends before they moved away from each other, when one cooks for the one they love and they say it's delicious, it'll be too much of an appeal already for those who cooked for it so... when one has forgotten about it...

"Cook? Oh, you will be like crowned the iron chef of China right? Ha ha."

A vein strikes on her head. "Idiot, that's not... that's not... nevermind." She doesn't like bringing something out that he'll just... well, not like this is his first time that he did this so... the only way to settle it is...

"Well anyway, I'll go back to Houki now and sleep to our room."

"Eh?" That took her by surprise. "Your... room?" He said "our" room which means...

"Ah, we're on the same room, so-"

"Hey, why is that decision allowed here! Why is a guy allowed to have sensual favor!"

"Huh?" Sensual favor huh? That's like... well, not like Ichika asked for it, but it seems he'll be staying at 1025 indeed for the duration of... "What does that mean? I'm there because I was assigned to."

"Huh? By who? Is it that girl Houki? Or-"

"No, it was Chifuyu-nee and- I-I mean Orimura-sensei and Yamada-sensei's decision."

"Really?" She eyes him suspiciously. "..." Then she keeps mumbling something like "I have to..." "...do something" "...and do something about..." those were the words that Ichika could decipher of since they are not very clear.

"Uh Rin, you..."

"I've decided..."

"Eh?"

"I decided that..."

...At room 1025

"That you would switch rooms with me. hehe." At this room, there are only two beds, Ichika is allowed here no matter what, as courtesy of Chifuyu's favor while Houki...

"Huh? Why are you barging here in our room?" Houki is here in her kendo attire, and she was just asked, _nicely _in a way, by Rin who intruded in with her bag.

"Hehe, like I said, you'll be switching rooms with me and-"

"Like hell I'll do something like that, get out of our room, now! Hiya!"

"Hmph!" _Block! _Rin partially deployed half of her IS and blocked Houki's hit.

"Wha-?"

"Hehe, don't forget, I'm a class representative as well as a representative candidate of China."

"You, no good..." They are at each other until...

"Hey come on, that's not good, what if..." Ichika intruded into their quarrel.

"Orimura, are you in there?"

"...!" The voice of the devil, it's Chifuyu. "Hmngh!" Everyone's mouth is shut, especially Ichika. "C-Chifuyu-nee...! What should I do, if she sees all of us here, we'll be..." He sees something like the three of them standing before the faculty office and them getting their heads exposed for a slam of something like a... well, something hard or worse yet, the attendance book. "Hnrgh, we're in big trouble here."

"C-Chifuyu-san, grr." Even Rin is shivering.

"C-Chifuyu-san is..." And Houki as well, yup, the devil is approaching.

"Hey, Orimura, didn't you hear me? I expect you to respond immediately after talking to you, so come on, give me your respond immediately." _knock, knock._

"Eh..." Ichika gestures for the two girls to hide behind the first bed, to which they did since they didn't dare want to meet the devil face to face, swallowing his saliva, Ichika prepares to face the consequences. He opens the door. "Uh, hello, Orimura... -sensei."

"That was slow, I expect you react quickly."

"Guh," There's just no reasoning with her isn't it? Well, Ichika is used to her being like this, given that she's an instructor in the army, she'll be like something that is to behold, meaning fear, but of course, despite that, he still loves her completely and would do anything just to make her comfortable, but right now, that's not the time for it. "So, what did you want to..."

"This, I want you to have it back, oh, and... arigatou, it was helpful." She said that last part with a blush as she returns the towel to Ichika, the one that his other self lended to her.

"Eh? Oh, this."

"Hai, so, are you busy? Where's Shinonono?" The latter felt like her heart throb as being mentioned of her name.

"Oh uh well... ha ha, she... stepped out for something, kendo practice I think." That excuse made Houki flinch since...

"Kendo practice is over."

"Eh? Uh..."

"Well, I guess I shouldn't worry about it, she's in her own way, anyway, I came to also tell you that Shinonono will be transferring to another room."

"Oh I see, I- Huh?"

"Huh?" Both Rin and Houki asked also, but then they covered their mouths since they have forgotten that they're not supposed to speak up.

"R-Really? Then... what will I...?"

"You'll be inheriting this room as your own, and for your own personal health, I suggest that you don't think of anything funny while being in this dormitory, got that?"

"Uh hai, I understand so... what will..."

"Yosh, ja, when Shinonono comes back, tell her to come to me for her assign room, until then, see ya." She left, leaving Ichika buffled at her request.

"What the heck was... that?" He said before closing the door and the two girls who have been hiding decided to come out.

"I... was..."

"Uh, you were said to be... transfer to another room, so..."

"Yahay! I'm going to be in this room then!" Rin seems happy at that information.

"That's not allowed! You heard Chifuyu-san, she said..."

"She said you would be transferred to another room, so that means I get to be with Ichika!"

"Uh no, that's..."

"Ichika-san? Oh, I mean, Orimura-kun, are you in there?" It's Yamada.

"Hmgh!" The thing that when they heard her voice, Ichika covers his mouth and implores the two to hide again, to which they did. "H-Hai? Y-Yamada-sensei?"

"Are you in there? I'm coming in." It's the vice homeroom of Class 1, and she's here regarding some elegation about proper room assignments. "Sorry to intrude in, but have you seen Shinonono-san? I was asked to..."

"Oh you're going to give the new assignment to Houki?"

"Hai, Orimura-sensei informed me so I thought I might as well provide her the latest info about this."

"Oh, I see, ja, give me the room number and I'll give it to her."

"Hai, arigatou-gozaimasu, oh and one more thing, it seems there will be also some elegation about Huang-san's assigned room."

"Eh? R-Rin?"

"Hai, she'll be at..."

"..." The two girls eavedrops on the conversation, it seems they have their own rooms, and this is not the one. "..." They feel melancholic about it, but nothing they can do.

"Ja, if you will excuse me now."

"Hai." Yamada left the room. "Hey, I heard you're-"

"We know." The two girls emerged out of their hiding place.

"Tch, I'm not here huh." Rin is in melancholy.

"I won't be here, hm." Even Houki is in melancholy. After what they heard, it seems they won't be with Ichika after all.

"Hm? What is it? You two will be-"

"We know that." They both took the assigned number of rooms that Yamada gave him, since he was unaware of their melancholy, they decided to call it a night and pretend that nothing happens, well, not like they're denying reality but they rather have a warm pillow, and bury their head on it, then have a long sounding sleep and forget about all this russ. "Ja ne." They both left 1025 room.

"Hey, why are you... guh, I must have upset them." He knows not more of what he does. Ichika is often like this, due to perhaps his strict morals that were given by Chifuyu, he feels like he should be like this, or perhaps it's simply his nature, well, that and many more. "_Sigh, _I guess I should rest up for a while." _blurgh. _"Huh?" Something arising. "Gr," He touches his head as if his brain is gonna pop out, like something like that could occur, and then his head begun to get warm up. "What the... it's not even..." It's only about less than a one hour and thirtee minutes and he's already feeling the other guy rising up, what's happening? Did it go out of control or something? "Urgh, urrgh, urraggh, uaarrgh!" He falls down to the ground, kneeling, then he could have sworn he saw something like Rin, being a child, on a church, along with some people, her parents it seems, they argue, they got angry and they left, leaving a buffled Rin behind, then she was seen stepping onto something angrily, then she forces her uncle to let her be admitted to IS academy and so forth. "Guah!" He could have sworn that maybe that's just hallucination but he got the feeling that he may be looking at something, maybe a "what if" situation that Rin would have been like that if he didn't met her? Or... "Hm, something is wrong here." He said, but looking at the time, and because of the recent sensation, he suddenly becomes tired and drained out of his energy, so he'll let it slip, for now. "_Sigh, _I can't be thinking about this right now, I better get to bed." He's now all alone here, so he can have all the stuff around here, and Ichika can use the room however he like.

...At Rin's room...

"Mom, dad." He's typing into some things huh, well, Rin's father hasn't been exactly bright, why? Well, despite running a restaurant, he seems to be in a moody way like he doesn't wish to be "girly" in a way that he wants to be "manly" by joining the military, this however, resulted in the Chinese Union getting themselves involved in some rebellion that caused serious injury on Rin's father, making him retire, that became a prime example of man's barbaric nature, she wish that more men would be like Ichika for one, well, excluding the blockhead thing, she wants still that her family would reunite to stop all of this nonsense before they escallated, well, Rin isn't exactly the whole into family thing, but she does wish that no more problems would come across something like a group of fanatics wanting to subdue society itself into something like a religious community wherein everyone is forced to obey God as they say, but, does "God" exist? If He would, then why isn't He benevolent as they claim? Too much chaos and strife have already strike the planet and it is only a matter of time that the entire world might even be in a state of calamity wherein a typhoon is said to be coming this way, so why is He allowing all this? Perhaps... this "God" is actually... the true enemy of mankind. "Hm, I guess I'll go to sleep." Deciding to stop peeping into her personal family records, Rin put down her laptop and went to bed, but before that... "Ichika, I... Hm, we meet again." That was enough, the destiny of the two reunited childhood friends.

...Meanwhile, in a secret laboratory

A maid, or at least a girl who is wearing a maid outfit with bunny ears on her head, is typing through her keyboard, there's not much light here and the only ones that are emanating from are those from the monitors in front, then one of her cellphone rings... in an almost personal matter, the bunny ears lighten up. "Oh, this tone..." She gets excited. "Hello, hi! This is everone's favorite idol Shinonono Tabane!"

...Afar, at IS academy's field

"Gr," Houki is about to hang up because of that boastful and proud tone because... well, one, she doesn't like and the other... it's not important.

"W-Wait! Don't hang up, Houki-chan~"

"Nee-san." She decided to heed her advice.

"Now now, my dear little sister, hm, I understand your desire, you want to be inform of your own personal IS right?"

"Huh?"

"Of course I'll make something for you, and this one is probably the most strongest fourth generation creation of this genius, and this is named... Akatsubaki!" A line up, closed form IS is lightened up through a spotlight.

...The next day, in town...

"Hm, let's see, maybe I'll buy... huh?" Just then, when Rin was about to walk off to a nearby shopping store, she witness something like a transaction taking place between two groups, the police and the other... a bunch of aggressive civilians who are not chinese, but... her own nationality. "What's going..."

"Like I said, we-"

"And like we said, you can't just force people to convert into your own religious group by force."

"We need mothers on our cause, we need them to produce something like a motherly figure compare to this rotten nation!" A bunch of fanatics it seems.

"_Sigh, _look pal, we don't tolerate something like sexual abuse, if you guys don't want to intrude further, just go somewhere, people are scared from your union so just buzz off."

"Hey!"

"Calm down, fine, we'll work things out, in our own way..." The fanatics are getting aggressive, they brought out knives. This alarmed the police.

"What the..." Rin is about to witness something like a riot gonna take place.

"That's it, we're making this a good community, men, take all the enlightened women with us!"

"Yeah!"

"Lay a finger on any citizen here and..." The police drawed out their guns due to their aggressive stance.

"Now, make this a better community!"

"Hiyaa!" Yup, it's a riot.

"Wha- What's going..." Rin takes a few step back until...

"Hey, an enlightened daughter is here, seize her, we'll take her out of this corrupted nation." Two men sneak up beside her.

"Huh?"

"Hey, you can't-" The police can't make this secure anymore.

"That's it, we're making an impact out of this cursed society, men, the faithful, shall rise!"

"Yeaah!"

"Hey, you've gone too far!" Riot escalated into the street and soon, the entire district, people are rising up from their home buildings, and Rin is at a disadvantage.

"Hey, let go of me!" _thud, thud, thud!_ Rin fended off some fanatics but more came to corner her.

"You poor thing, you've been corrupted by this nation, don't worry, we'll-"

"Urusai! I don't want your stupid religion!" _ thud, thud! _These fanatics are insane, they can't even understand the perspective of others.

"Seize her, we're enlightened her again!"

"Hai, for the lord and savior!"

"For the lord and savior!" The fanatics exclaimed altogether. This is getting out of hand.

"Gr," Rin prepares to fight these fanatics.

"Gyaah!" Some women scream.

"Huh?" Rin turns to them to see a lot of women being abducted by the fanatics, intending to "enlightened" her as they say.

"Grab her!"

"Gyaah!"

...Meanwhile, at the southern district...

"_Sigh, _not much to buy." Ichika wanders throughout the shopping district, he originally intended to go to the Gotanda Eatery to get something to eat but then he has other plans in mind to worry about, like for the upcoming competition soon that will take place in an isolated island at the borders of Japan, that and some german representatives will be using them as byproduct practice manuevers, sort to speak. Germans are known to be warlike warriors, they tend to produce more weapons than most other country, like their war with the French, they look down on other countries and treat almost like inferior to their cause, specifically, since the invention of IS, women in germany, who are much more arrogant than the rest, look down on men there and treat them like guinea pigs like they are target practice in a boot camp or something.

"I had enough of this, bring them up!" A loud, harsh voice said.

"Huh?" _bang, bang! _A riot is taking place. "What the..." _bang, bang, bang! _

"Get them! Get those fanatics! Surround them!" The police lieutenant yelled as they hide behind patrol cars and kept firing at the fanatics with knives, shields and other kind of butchering weapons for them to use against the police, who are considered as "grey ones" since they don't believe in their religion.

"Kill them, kill the grey ones!"

"Force them into our side, the chinese union shall rise!"

"Huh?" _bang, bang! _Ichika is caught up in this stupid struggle of religion and government and now, people are trying to kill each other while the women...

"Kyaah!"

"Somebody save us!"

"Huh?" Ichika sees a horde of women being carried away by some fanatics with knives, and a flag of their religion. "What the...?" Then Rin, who is fending off some fanatics with her IS, the Shenlong, a personal one, is seen among them.

"Let me go!" _thud, thud! _

"Guh!"

"Poor child, we'll save you no matter what!"

"I don't want you to save me, I want you to rot! Hiya!" _thud, thud! _Rin is not one to believe on such things, why? Because like many others, facts are actually based on everyone's point of view, and if one will follow one's own self sense of justice, then this is the right time to do it.

"Rin!" Ichika exclaimed.

"Poor child, you shall be enlightened, like all the rest, and this cursed society shall crumble, men, take them, take them to the old church, there we shall begin the ceremony to summon our "God"! And we shall be glorious!"

"Yeaah!" A group of men, lead by some bald guy, said in unison as they feel like they are "enlightened" as if his words are light to him, well, derangeness is the only contagion around here, these guys are deranged as hell, and that guy who is bald seems to be a Pope or something, he brought out a mechanical orb that is like that of a shape of Earth, a globe perhaps.

"What's going on here?" Ichika asked feeling uneasy of all these.

"Hey, citizen, step back, we're under attack by some deranged men who call themselves the apostles of China Union and they want women to be forced into labor." One police officer said ducking below a police patrol car's door.

"Forced into labor?" _bang! _"Guh!" Ichika managed to dodge one bullet from the fanatics that they managed to steal perhaps.

"Hey, what the hell is your problem anyway! Hiya!" _Bloock, shiieerrlld! _"Huh?" Just when Rin was about to punch the Pope, in a least, some barrier is erected, causing her to not reach him, that orb seems to have some magnetic energy that can cause nearby machines to go malfunction, and speaking of malfunction... "Huh?" Shenlong is disabled, dislodging Rin from it. "Guh!" She falls onto the ground.

"Now then, sweety, it's time to go home." Some fanatics grab her from her legs, and hands.

"H-Hey, don't touch me there you baka hentai!" She said as she get dragged away.

"Rin!"

"Kyaah!" Then the other women were dragged away as well by the other fanatics who moved on with their Pope.

"Let this be a lesson to you you sinfall men, God has mercy and He shall show them to you, now, feel the wrath of Eden!" The Pope said raising the mechanical orb that lets out some kind of waves that's causing nearby machines, such as street lights, cars and etc. to go haywire, some cars's horns are acting up on their own and the street lights are going all out and then coming back again.

"What the?"

"What sort of machinery is that?" The police officers are in distraught.

"Time for you to feel divine restribution!" _Flash! _

"Grooaar!" A gigantic, mechanical creature comes flying down, it's an unmanned drone with a modified version, instead of being a human like figure, this one is more like a beast, a dragon to be in fact. "Grooaar!"

"Wh-What is that!"

"Gr," Ichika makes sure that his distance is safe, but that doesn't matter to him one bit. "Rin." Rin and the other women are in trouble, he can't just sit around here, so... _blurrgh, blurrgh. _"I'm going to need you, so..." _blurrgh, bluurgh, bluurgh. _Deciding to let the other Ichika take over, by strong will, Ichika feels like he can activate out of sheer will and pure intent. "Yosh, here I... go!" _blurrgh, blurrgh, blurrgh! _Hysteria Zero Syndrome! Ichika's eyes glow red a bit, then return to normal. "Hmph," He smirks as he prepares to go to battle. _Flash! _

"IS, on, Welcome." Byakushiki is deployed as that computer voice welcome the user.

_Flash! _"Yosh," With his IS deployed, he prepares to charge, and he leaps forward.

"Now, feel God's wrath, faithful servant, destroy them!" The bald Pope said.

"Grooaar!" Before the dragon like machine could reign rampage on the city however, _Struucckkttch, Schwatrrcht! _Something came upon it and caused its head to bend backward due to the strong force applied.

"What the-!"

Ichika comes to the scene with his IS and the Pope eyeing him. "What are you trying to do? Where are you taking the women?" He asked him with a straight glare.

"You, son, you posses the armor of the divine, such dreadful sin, this society has corrupted you as well, such disgrace, don't worry, you best die untainted by their culure, divine servant, free this young man from the clutches of evil!"

"Grooaarr!" That delusional command is oblidged by the dragon like machine.

"Gr!" The police take a step back.

"I'm rather comfortable where I am thank you!" _Blast! _"Hiyaa!" Activating the Ignition Boost, Ichika charged forward with the Yukihira type 2 in hand.

"Grooaarr!" _blaast! _The dragon let out a blast of energy.

"I better attend to our women, young man, I hope you are cleansed of your sin by the time the divine servant is through with you, begone now with grace in our presence." The pope said leaving.

"I rather you get tainted by your own volition you fool!" _blaast! _Speeding the thrusters, Ichika speedened up to go straight the dragon's core, which is its brain in a way that it's located on its head.

"Grooaar!" _blast! _It let out another blast of energy. _boom! _

Ichika activated barrier void attack, dismissing the energy blast then he leap forward with the Yukihira type 2, _slash! _"Hiyaa!"

"Grooaar!"

"Hey, that kid, is that famous IS user who is the only male?"

"Yeah, it's him." The police recognized Ichika through reputation it seems.

"Ah." Some civilians are also audience to this so-called dramatic development.

"Grooaar, grooaarr!" The dragon let out more energy blast, destroying half of the roadway, then with Ichika not wanting to let anyoneelse get involved further, he decided to "input" something through his Zero mentality at the moment.

He types Z.E.R.O. on the interface, activating something like a stimuli that represents a whole representation of the situation, Byakushiki's interface glow brightly, this kind of system can only be accessed through his mentality whenever he is in his Zero mode and this will prove to be advantageous with single goal in mind: destroy the obstruction of justice, the dragon.

"Grooaar!" _blast, blast! _

"Ha... Hiyaa!" With a clenched fist, Ichika drawed forward towards its mouth.

"Grooaar!" _blaast, blaast! _With the barrier void attack still intact, the blast energies are all dismissed then with a clear shot, "Grooaar!"

"Hiyaa!" _Thruuccnnthh! Crack! _

"Grooaar!" A hole is implented on the dragon's head, destroying the core and Ichika drops down in a cool way while disabling Z.E.R.O. programming. "Grooaar!" Then the dragon fell down, disabled. _boom, boom, boom, Boom! _Then it exploded.

"Wah!"

"Ah!" The police and civilians are blown abit by the explosion.

The part of the dragon are still all over the ground. Ichika stood triumph over its wreckage. "Hmph, Rin."

...In a church...

"Gr, let go of me!" Rin is fending off some resistence from some fanatics who are guarding the church door. Some women are also here feeling dizzy and uneasy from all these fanatical movement.

"Children of God!" Then the Pope comes in stage. "I bid you welcome, thank you for coming here."

"We didn't go here, you forced us to!"

"Hm," That made the Pope scoff, the women are quite rebellious. "I see the society's culture have all but corrupted all of you, you are-"

"You're the corrupted one!"

"Yeah, forcing us here, you're no good than a slaver!"

"Sometimes necessary actions are necessary, such as-"

"Urusai, we don't even want you own stupid religious culture!" Rin said, along with some other women, they started complaining.

"Listen to me!" The Pope said angrily. "We are the only pure here, those society out there have all been corrupted, they have forgotten God and they have forgotten us! They will pay for their sins!"

"Shut up, we don't need to listen to you- Guah!" Two fanatics grab Rin from the shoulder.

"Children of God will aid those who are corrupted and purify them."

"Gyah!" She is brought up stage where the Pope brings forth a chalice.

"This cleansing water should cleanse you of all corruption, drink it and be my own future bride, we shall be happy and I will-"

"Like hell I will!" _Splash! _Rin spilled the water inside, which was boiled, onto his face.

"Gyaah!" Which he bemoans. "I'll teach you some respect!"

"Guh!" He pins Rin to the ground.

...Meanwhile, outside

"Rin," Ichika is still here along with police officers interrogating some fanatics.

"Let us go you sinful sons of man!"

"Just answer us, where did you take the women?"

"Hmph, the women should be brought to salvation by now, and we shall be victorious! Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha!" These fanatics are way too proud of their religion.

Zero mode Ichika comes to him. "Sa," _thud! _

"Guh!" Ichika punched him to the stomach.

"Tell me where they took Rin and the others." He said in a demanding tone.

"Gr, like the hell I will, I will-" _thud! _"Guh! Guah, punch me all you wish, I won't answer, you'll never find our George Pope and your women will be out of your grasp!" He said. _thud, thud, thud, thud, thud! _This was the last straw. As Ichika was about to us an IS part with the punch this time.

"Stop, son, that's enough." One police officer stopped him.

"_cough, cough._ Ah." The man caught up blood on his mouth.

"They say the find the women to be on a churt northwest of here, that's probably where they are."

"I see, ja, if you don't mind," Grabbing the punk by his shirt.

"Guargh-!"

"Hm, son, don't-"

"Daijobou, I got plans for him." Ichika said assuring them he won't do anything rush, he's in his Zero mode, which he has logical thinking and judgment, and quick reflexes.

...At the church...

"Gr, ugh." Rin is tied up and gagged up in front as the Pope continues to eat bananas.

"We are only cleansing you, get to it!" He said. The other women are doing manual labor like pulling out carts around here with fruits and vegetables on them, the others are dusting and sweeping the church's halls with two men on the door.

"Listen up!" The Pope said. "After this, we shall ascend upon the new blessing of God and be delivered to paradise!"

"Yeah! Blessing! Blessing! Blessing! Blessing!" All of the fanatics risd up to drink to that.

_knock, knock. _"Excuse me, some loyal member here." Someone knocks on the door.

"Huh? Oh, I'm coming." One member opens the door only to... "What do you..." _Thuctbt! _"Guah!" A guy, a corpse, no, he's not dead, is sent flying towards his face and his face fell upfront on the table behind him.

"What the?"

"Hm?" The Pope and women turn to the door to see...

"Ah, sorry, didn't mean to intrude but you gave me no choice." Like the beaconing of the Sun, a shooting star comes in; Ichika.

"Wah."

"Ichika!" Rin and the other women turn to him, like he's their shining beacon of hope.

"You, bastard, how did you-" _Thud! _"Guh!"

"Uaargh!" _thud! _Ichika is not in his IS suit for now, he doesn't need it since they are inside this church, so he just used a wooden pole to knock them unconcious, some fanatics are here and they are in numbers but that is not something to be obstruct with, like many others in the medieval era, any man should be able to reach their goal should a woman is involved in it, Ichika in his Zero mode can handle this.

_tap, tap. _He walks in with the pole. "You, son, how did you... what happened to the divine servant?" The Pope asked.

"He's dead, I smashed him to a bits." He said grabbing his pole tightly.

"What?"

"Ichika, go get them!"

"Please save us!" Rin and the others implore a beating to be done here.

"Gr, the corruption of this society is great, it seems we have underestimated them, we have to be more resilient from now on." The Pope said angrily despite his calm attitude. He breaks the chalice he's holding. "In that case, we shall cleanse you personally child, fanatics, my line faithful servants, take care of him!" He said raising forth his staff of holy.

"Yeah!"

"You will pay!"

"You will be cleansed!" They all said in unison since they are a bunch of crazy fanatics who believe in all this religious nonsense.

"You are all, as I expected, I can't stand you!" Ichika said raising and rotating the wooden pole as his weapon. He charges forward.

"Hiyaa!" _Cluncht, clash, clash! _All of their weapons, which include of bats, pitchforks and other kind of shredders, clashed with Ichika's weapon, he was able to prevent them all from reaching his grasp of his face.

"Hmph,"

"Listen child, we are doing the cleansing, don't interefere. Or else, our God might get angry at you and you shall be punished, severely." The Pope said threatenly.

"Huh, actually, I would like to see you try it." He said smirking at the Pope, Ichika does not fear them alot since what good is a bunch of insane or deranged barbaric man anyway.

"Faithful, seize him!" That was the last straw for the Pope.

"Hyaah!"

"Hmph," _Slubt! Thud, strike! _

"Guh!"

"Urgh!"

"Ahgh!" Ichika broke through while hitting, kicking and punching them on the face as he went through them. Then Ichika took one of their weapons, a pork or pitchfork in other words, since the wooden pole was no good at this point.

"Teme!" One guy assaulted from behind. _Tcchiing! _"Guah!" Only to get impaled, well, not really impaled as Ichika just aimed for his waist that is equipped with some shield and then he lifts him upward, then he tosses him to the side.

The other fanatics line up. "We won't let desecrate our holy place!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

"Huh, you already are filthy, you're more filthy than a rat, than a hole rat and most importantly, you are filthy because..." Ichika slowly walks up to them with a groggy looking expression.

"Ahh!" They all charge at him. _Cluuncht! _Only for their weapons to the grab to the edge by his arms, preventing them reaching them. "Guah!" Then they come face to face to him. The demon is still here and it's here to rescue the women, and Rin.

"You are filthy to discriminating innocent women to barbaric ones like you." _Strike, thud, thud! _

"Guh!"

"Ugh!"

"Gwaah!" The three fanatics are sent flying, now there is only the Pope.

"This has gone far enough!" The Pope stepped down from the pulpit to deal with the mess, he walks to Ichika before he could reach the women.

"Ichika, kick his butt!" Rin said.

"Please save us!" The other girls said.

"Hmph, you have defiled our temple, you have spilled the blood of the faithful and filled this place with sins, no more, I will deal with you myself."

"Are you? Or maybe, you're just too scared and delusional into this so-called religion of yours, you and your followers simply wanted to abuse women for your own right." Ichika said pacing back and forth.

"That's right, you're a no good scum!" Rin said. The other women said some insulting words as well.

"Silence!" The Pope said. Then he turns to Ichika. "I have enough of you, God will heed me, God will aid me and you, a servant of the devil, shall perished!" _Waave! _The environment around shakes, as the orb that he is carrying seems to hold some sort of shockwaves that can send some earthquakes around.

"Gyah."

"U-Uwaah! Ow." Rin tries to support her balance but she couldn't do to her hands tied up and her gag was removed by none other than herself when she was excited to see Ichika, who came save her and the rest, he has done before where he saved her from some bullies.

"Tell me now son of God, what will it be? Retribution or redemption."

"Simple really," Ichika picks up a wooden pole, a pitchfork and a iron pole that were from the fanatics who are unconcious. "I say... I will... kick... your... butt."

"Ahhrrgh!" That sent out more shockwaves, _crash, crash, crash! _making the nearby chairs fly around.

"Waah!" The women duck for cover from all the flying objects around.

"Gyaah!" Rin ducks as well but, _tching!, _the chandelier above is about to fall off. "Wah-" Rin realized that and she might be in trouble. "W-Waah!"

"Rin!" Ichika passed through the Pope who has erected a barrier around him through the orb he's carrying.

"Hey, you will not unpunished!" He said raising his staff, sending out some electric shock that seems to be coming from the orb. "Feel the wrath of the Chinese union!" _Shoock! _

_Whoosh! _Ichika passed through while blocking all of the electric shock with all the things he's carrying, a pitchfork, a wooden pole and iron pole to avoid himself getting injured... "I have no time to deal with you, so step aside!" He jumps through his back to get to the pulpit upfront.

"Gr!"

"Rin!" In a rather slow way, he jumps towards Rin who is in trouble of getting landed on by the chandelier.

"Ichika, gyaah!"

"Get out of the way!" Ichika pushed her aside, causing the- _Gwacchrrtb! Crack, Crash! _

"Uwa!"

"Ah!" Rin and the other women lay witness to that horrible crashing kind of way, a hole is inflicted on the pulpit where the chandelier landed with Ichika below, then more crashing sound is heard below, that kind of sound is enough to broke a man in half, including...

"Gr, that kid." The Pope seems annoyed at his feat.

"Ichika! Ichika!" Rin tends to the crash site. "Ichika, Ichika!" No response, the chandelier and some floor wooden plates are there, blocking anyone from emerging.

"That kid, he was supposed to be cleanse by me, now he'll repay me by submitting all of you under my care, you shall all be-"

"Urusai! I don't care about you stupid fanatical way!"

"That's right, you are simply kidnapping us!"

"Silence, you know nothing, once the lord has-"

_Crack! _"Urusai!" A voice under the pulpit said as he throwed one debris towards him.

_Cwacht! _"What the-!" The orb fell from his grasp.

"Wha- Ichika?" Rin looks down at the pulpit.

_Whoosh! _Then a figure of someone who is covered in dirt emerged out quickly and grabbed the orb that was lying on the ground. "Hmph, you lost." It's Ichika with a smirk. He broke the orb in half.

"What-" The Pope is distressed at that.

"Your fanatical religious group is now but a shadow of its former glory." He said mocking the Pope as the orb pieces land on the ground, then shattered. Leaving the shield that was erected useless.

"You..." The pope is very distresed, very very distressed... and angry. "You, you shouldn't be able to do that!" He said yelling like a madman.

"Hmph,"

"Ah." The women stirs away from him as his behaviour is unpredictable at the moment.

"That was our glorious symbol, now you ruin it, our company of the Dunois corporation, Mr. Dunois will fire us..."

"What? You're saying that you're not really a religious group but a bunch of agents of this Dunois corporation?" Ichika asked.

"Gr, if we can't obtain the second generation IS Raphael-Revive Custom II, then no one will!" He pushed a button for something. _Shake, shake! _The building shakes.

"Waah!"

"Guaah!" Rin and the others fall down to the floor.

"Hey, what did you just do?" _Thud! _

"Gurgh!" Ichika kicked him to the right side of his neck and cheek, sending him flying while grabbing the switch he just pushed on mid-air.

"This is..." This is the kind of thing that one last to... well, rely on last resort, this is a self-destruction button, it seems these guys are very devoted... or very insane.

"Urgh." The pope lost consciousness. "Kill... me..." His last words before falling into deep slumber.

"No way, you'll suffer worst than that." Ichika said. "Everyone, we better get out of here!"

"The building is crumbling, we better-" _crumble, shake, shake! _"Gyaah!"

"Everyone, run for it!"

"H-Hai!"

"Let's get out of here!"

"Hey, wait for- Gyah!" Rin is still tied up so she can't get up. "H-Hey, Ichika, don't leave me-"

"I know that, I'm not gonna leave you here to die, I'm coming to get you." _Crunch, crunch, crack! _Some debrises from the ceiling fall down towards her. "Huh?"

"Wah?" She's in trouble, and since most of the debris are stone, she would surely... "G-Gyaah!"

"Rin!" _Thunck! _

"Gyah!" She got pushed to the sides again.

_Crack, crack, slam, slam! _All sort of debrises came falling down on Ichika, instantly making him grovel to the ground, though in a forceful way.

"Ahh!"

"Gyaah!" The women screamed at the sight.

"I-Ichika!" Rin, with ropes still at her hand, tends to him. "Ichika! Ichikaa!"

No response. It seems the ground below that is covered with debris is lifeless, this made Rin sad.

"Ichika..." Tears roll down on her emerald eyes.

...Flashback...

"Hey, are you okay?" A younger Ichika offers a tissue to Rin.

"_sob, sob. _Hai." He just drove off a pack of bullies from calling Rin all sort of names because of nationality. "Um, arigatou."

"Hai, when they come bullying you again, I'll deal with them, daijobou, hehe."

"You... what is... your name?"

"Me? I'm... Orimura Ichika, nice to meet you."

That was a fateful meeting, like it was meant to be by the stars above, perhaps it is because of this thing that people come to rely on wishing stars to make their wishes come true, to this end, Rin, who was always bullied, looked up to Ichika and had a crush on him, now it's love as well as crush, she swore that day that she would be the true woman she would be in the near future who Ichika will fall in love to, but...

End of flashback

"Ichika!" ...it would seem that it was empty promise but... "Ichika... _sob, sob._" Tears rolling down, the debris move a bit, signifying that... "I failed my promise didn't I? I'm worthless, I... Ichika... Ichika!" One wish... upon the star, is granted... "I wish... I wish... that you are here."

"Of course."

"Eh?" Just then a smiling Ichika is in front of her. "You..."

"I remember the promise, when you become an excellent cook, you would be..."

"I... chi... ka." He does remember, any man can remember a promise when they made of something, though Ichika seems to not remember the most important stuff. "Ichika, you... _sniff, _you're... alive."

"Ah, it's because of this." There is an armor behind his back that protects one from sharp debrises and other kind of things that can hurt, he got it from one of the unconcious fanatics who he grabbed on the way here to get inside this church without alarming someone and at the same time, to grab the equipment. That is on his back right now, he removes it since it has no further use. "Sa, let's get out of here Rin."

"But, I... I caused... I caused so much trouble, I... Huh?" _chu. _Perhaps a kiss from the romeo is all that matters. "..."

"No way, why would I think of you as a bother? It'll bother me if you aren't yourself, the Rin I know, ha ha, the Lingyin Huang that I know is the cheeful beautiful bell that I know."

"Ichika." The curtain falls as if, here comes the broom sound is over and the wedding is over on the pulpit, Ichika has sworn once again to protect a childhood friend from harm, from here, and onward. "Ichika, hm, yeah huh? Yosh, let's get out of here!" They turn to the others, the building won't last much longer.

"Everyone, grab those guys, we won't leave them behind here." Ichika said.

"Hai!" The women grab the unconcious fanatics since there is no point of leaving them here to be buried alive by the falling debrises.

"Yosh, this one is with me." Rin grabs the Pope with Ichika giving a thumbs up.

"Yosh, ja, Rin, hang on tight."

"Eh?"

_Flash! _Ichika summons Byakushiki.

"W-Waah!" Then he grabs her and let her ride from behind while carrying the Pope. "Eh? Ichika?"

"Every princess needs a carriage right? I'll be willing to do it."

"Eh? W-Wait,"

"Yosh, everyone, get on."

"Yaay!"

"Wow!" The other women came to ride as well, there is enough for them in Byakushiki's back, but of course, they are not enough there so... Rin put down the Pope on one of the women's care while she is carried on by Ichika on bridal style.

"Eh?"

"Sa, let's go." _Whoosh! _Then they flew out of the failing church as debrises are falling everywhere.

A lot of authorities, including that of IS academy, comes across it outside. "Orimura-sensei, this is where... _huff, huff._"

"What happened- Huh?"

_Whoosh! _Coming out of the smoke. Ichika and the rest of the women came out safe, with Rin being carried by Ichika, and them waving and smiling at the crowd gather here. "That's... Orimura-kun!"

"Orimura!"

"Yaaay!"

"Hooray!" That gathered crowd celebrates this rescue.

"Hm,"

"Hm," Both Ichika and Rin smile at each other.

...Later that night, at room 1025

"_Sigh,_" After the incident earlier, Ichika cannot help but be tire for two reasons: one, is that his Hysteria Zero Syndrome is worn out after being used, by his own accord as well, then the other... is because...

"Earlier this afternoon, Orimura Ichika saved a lot of women who were overjoyed that they were rescue by the most popular guy in the world and-"

Ichika couldn't listen anymore, he doesn't wish to be popular, but it happened anyway, do good things and good things happen it seems, though he would appreciate it if he would be in a low profile. "_Sigh, _this is tiring."

_knock, knock. _"Ichika, open up." It's Rin by the door.

"Hm? Oh, Rin, what is it?" He opens it, Rin is carrying a tray of food.

"Hehe, I brought dinner."

"Huh? But I just ate and-" _Thud! _"Guah!" He got elbow kicked by Rin, to make him hungry it seems.

"There, you're hungry now right? You wouldn't want to spoil a maiden's cook right? Hehe." Yup, this is the same energetic Rin that Ichika knows too well.

"Yeah, well, you didn't have to force my stomache, I'm gonna eat anyway." It wasn't really a hard punch, but the the IS part that was deployed certainly built up some appetite in there.

"Hehe," 'Ichika, you are my... my knight, he he, yup, that's right, you are my knight, together, you and I... Hmhm' Through fateful meetings that shooting stars gather and through shooting stars, happiness are granted and so, we shall move on.

...Meanwhile, at Dunois Corp.

"What's that? Our men failed to bring women to our cause? Hm," A blondie guy is murmuring forth and forth while keeping his pace.

"What should we do sir? At this rate, we won't be producing any more far advanced second generation IS and-"

"I know that! We must..."

"..." A maiden is listening, her beautiful blondie hair is staggering, but right now, she's in dilemma, she's about to be forced into something she would not want to do, but... she has little choice, with only this option as a way to prove herself, or be forced into prison and never see the light of the day again, there is only one choice, but... amidst the shooting star above, one wish can be granted... "Oka-san, please, save me."

_Flash! _One shooting star emerged out, and flies towards Earth, a wish is on the way.

End of Chapter 5

**Note: Well, that's it, next is Charlotte... or Charles, whichever you prefer, well, I prefer Charlotte, so Charlotte. Anyway, next will be her, see ya. Enjoy!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Chapter 6: The Angel's Descension**

...At Dunois Corp

"Do you understand the goal before you Charlotte? If you fail at this, consider yourself an outcast of the Dunois family, your mother would have been approved of you if you were such a fine soldier and an IS pilot to begin with, now show your battle prowess so that I may finally approve of you as my daughter. And your mother would smile down upon you on Heaven."

"..." Exactly what does he know of his wife? This maiden's mother would probably just want her daughter to be happy, so much happier in her place her in this corporation that is full of adults willing to abuse a pure heart, to them a pure heart is nothing but weakness, but what does really means to be weak? In this case, only those with corrupted thoughts and wicked minds will be destroy as evil has no rely, not even itself, and those who embrace it, the source of all evil; Fear, it will lead them further into insanity and eventually, their actions will be the result of their downfall. "...Understood." The maiden doesn't have a choice in this matter, as she sees it, there is no escape from Fate, but... perhaps... one star will be able to fix that, as shooting stars grant wish from afar, or perhaps very near, that a wish can truly be granted in a very grand way. By...

...IS academy

"..." It's the same learning session here, Yamada demonstrating something called equalizers that can be improvised to IS suits in making them more durable for aerial manuever and the only one here who doesn't get it that much is Ichika as he is yet newly accustomed around here, though Rin, Cecilia and Houki would teach and practice him during night time session at the field, with Rin being qualified, sort to speak, she joins the fray in teaching the young male IS pilot. "_Sigh,_" Speaking of training session, there is another one tonight, with three girls tutoring him, he needs to prepare himself for this also another event in which he will have to demonstrate in front of many, some representative from France is also made known to make an arrival there, apparently this representative has an IS suit that is a personal one and to make it more appealing in a way, it's a second generation IS called the Raphael-Revive Custom II, it's the French symbol of their latest and proud IS, but he heard supposedly that the person operating it is... a guy, or at least that's what they heard, they haven't heard any details other than that, so Chifuyu and the others are quite busy, busy enough that Chifuyu would allow Yamada to demonstrate most of the lessons today, which is sometimes a relief to Ichika since again, he finds himself exhausted due to him using his Hysteria Zero Syndrome in a lot of ways like stopping a bunch of religious fanatics from going on a rampage throughout town, most were arrested and were sentenced to prison while the rest were casted out since they had little involvement in the matter, then Ichika, who involved in many ways, received commondations about how he saved that wife of this, that wife of that, those women in the church to be precise and then Rin as well, so from today and onwards, Ichika is rather pessimistic about certain things, why? Because... Like many other things, there are a lot of talking like "how great Orimura-kun" this and "Chifuyu-san really has a great younger brother" that and some crazy television broadcasters wanted to make a live rating of how the only male IS pilot in the world makes a debut in television, which was surprisingly successful due to Ichika's Hysteria Zero Syndrome being activated by himself, he does this whenever he's in extreme situation in which he may involved something like every fiber of his well-being will be put to the test, Ichika seems to have developed an habit of activating it through intense will that he is willing to put his brain to the test, make no mistake, it's not like his brain is gonna pop out whenever the blood is rising, but Ichika feels sometimes like an eery sensation coming from his brain that he feels like it's gonna fall over, like that could happen, and then he will feel dizzy whenever the Zero mode would disengage for a while, right now, this early morning, he was able to at least hold itself back from arising through intense, sheer will, and right now, he can still feel the effect of the dizziness that he is feeling whenever he is in that mode.

"-that being said, all of you will be watching the demonstration the following Saturday at the nearby colosseum at the city to watch Orimura-kun perform, yes?"

"Yaay!"

"..." Right now, despite the uproar of the class, Ichika's volume... well, the environment for some reason is like an uncolored t.v. screen to which everything as no sound, this is a mute sort to speak, though it may be because Ichika cannot take any more of the burden enthrusted on him, this is too much, too much, too much he can tell you! "Guh, I miss my normal life, where did you go...?"

"Sa te, let us all wish Orimura-kun one happy good luck for him." Yamada said in front with her hands clasp.

"Good luck, Orimura!" Everyone said altogether then begun to laugh merrily.

"Class 1 will be on top again."

"Hm, and then..."

"..." While they are proud of what will happen, Ichika sure has enough on his plate, what's next? He's gonna be the socker for something like he didn't even commit? Or... nah, that was just some crazy mafia show that was starting a famous actor for something of him being a silent character all the time, what was his name? Takakura K... or something... nah, nevermind. "_Sigh,_ at this rate, I wish **he** was around." He's referring to the other Ichika, who is now under his control it seems, though that being said, that other Ichika is not really like a separate mind or something like a different individual, it's him altogether, just a side of him that is more confident and more charming, well, in a manner of speaking since Ichika is always nice to girls, well, depending on their attitude or personality.

"So Orimura-kun, good luck." The teacher's blessing.

"Ah, ah, right. _sigh._" He lays down his head in dismay. He had enough stress already like him being trained by three girls later tonight.

"Hm? What is it?"

"Nothing, just... nothing."

"...?"

...Later, at the field

It's already night time here, a perfect opportunity for a swordsman to master the silence and move through the currents of the wind like they are guiding you and then with the hilt of the sword under you grasp, you can seize the opportunity for your weakened opponent to be surprised, and speaking of weakened opponent... "Hiya!" _Thud, Strike! _

"Guh!" Ichika got hit on the side of his shoulder by Houki who has felt the direction of the breeze and then went for the strike. "Ow, that... hurt."

"You're pathetic Ichika."

"Yeah, get up like a man." Even Rin is included here, she'll be teaching close manuever combat techniques, as expected from a chinese nationality, she really is... nah, maybe not all chinese into that shrine thing that is full of mikos and monks, well, that aside, Ichika is lying on the ground after Houki inflicted a serious pain on his shoulder, tomorrow is Sunday so there will be no classes that will be held, this is Ichika's time to ponder about the upcoming demonstration of how the only male IS pilot can do and how he will not embarrass himself in front of many crowds who are eager to watch, even Americans will watch he head, great, just great, more and more public humiliation, well, if he fails that is.

"Sa te, Ichika-san, please get up now, I will teach you about aerial manuevers." While both Rin and Houki, the childhood friends, will teach about close range manuevers, with Houki dealing with a sword in combat, Rin will be using the naginata that is formed out of the two blades of the shenlong and Cecilia would use the weapon pods as a sort of precaution to see if Ichika's agile speed is increased, he has shown it to be incredibly fast whenever he's in Zero mode, he can't activate it right now despite seeing the girls in their one piece attire of a ...no, it's not swimsuit, but even so, he can't seem to get excited, must be because he's used to seeing... No, no! That's not right, every man must feel a viber or something so that they won't be discriminated of being man or else... or else...

"Gr," Ichika remembers sometimes he is referred to as... well, some girls in the school seems to be aware of the relationships between men, like comrade in arms, a war hero or buddy and... well, sometimes beyond... no, that's unhealthy for one's mental health so best shrug off those annoying and hideous images that might pop out in his head, nothing really to mind off, Ichika stood up, ready to endure any sort of punishment he might receive in this training sessions. _blurgh. _"Huh?" Then something triggers. _Flash! _A star flashes in the sky, _blurrgh! _"Grugh, gurrgh." Ichika feels like his head is on fire, the spinal cord is rising up blood and... "Gr, this is... this is..." An hallucination... or not? He sees... ...? a blonde... girl? Or... She's... beautiful... she seems to be getting berated for something by a blonde guy who seems to be... her father perhaps? They have the same blonde hair and they are... of... there's a Dunois sign on the side of the hall where they are. "..." Ichika snuffs out of that vision of sort, was that...? It's not the first time he had experience like that, is this... foretelling of the future? "..."

"Hey, Ichika, don't daydream now, we have a lot to cover up." Rin said.

"H-Ah, okay."

"Sa te, here we go-!" All three girls charge at him, not making it easier for him, the effect of that forseeing seems to be making him feel dizzy.

"Ah." With a groggy face, _Thud-! _An epic fist to the face, Shenlong's arm part did the most damage. "...I'm... dead..." He said being sent flying.

...Later...

"..." Ichika lies on the ground not feeling, or rather, not having the strength to stand up.

"Mo, what's wrong with you?"

"You seem to be motionless when we were training, is something bothering you?" Both Rin and Houki asked.

"Ah, I..."

"Are you okay? Are you lacking of energy again?" Cecilia leans closer to him.

"No, I..." She helps him stand up. "I... gotta go."

"Hm, that would be wise, the demonstration is tomorrow and..."

"No, that would just the preparation, the demonstration would have to be next week, we'll have to take in that representative from France in order to line things up." Houki corrected.

"Oh, is that so? I wonder who he is, I never heard of any other males out there who can pilot an IS like Ichika-san."

"Neither do I, it's like all of the sudden, is there some kind of disease that allow men to pilot IS?" Like there would be any symptoms that an IS would reject, or something like an unidentified symptoms that would suddenly force an IS to accept man, no, it doesn't work that way, like machines would function out of pure functioning, some of which have artificial intelligence that seems to be forming something like a sentience, Ichika felt that when he was fighting with Byakushiki these past days, it was like the IS has its own will like it's alive or something. As the conversation of the girls continue, Ichika ponders on that hallucination, or maybe not, earlier.

"Hm, that girl, she was... beautiful." After seeing that blonde girl with that beautiful face and almost very staggering blond hair, he feels like he met an angel or goddess of... who knows? Fertility? No, that's for those in the des... not that, maybe of beauty? That's one description, or maybe it's that... nah, no point pondering about the mythologies of man, no point of dealing with them.

"Hey, Ichika, are you listening? You better increase your training ten folds from tomorrow, just because it's a daybreak doesn't mean you can slack off."

"That's right, Ichika-san."

"I won't approve of you if you even slack off for a day."

"Guh, yeah." He said, that's the only way he can respond to those cold words of advice, in a way.

...The next day, at town...

"_Sigh, _training this evening huh, again." Again, Ichika finds himself in this place, perhaps to blow off some steam after too much mental burden already, then there's that demonstration this upcoming Saturday, he better prepares... although, perhaps with the assistance of the other Ichika that he'll be able to pull this off without an itch at all. "_Sigh,_"

"Ah, excuse me, I-" _twicht. _"G-Guaah!"

"Huh? Whoa!" He catches her before she falls on the ground. "Guh, daijobou? You should be careful, you- Huh?" Just when he was about to help her up, her face...

"Ah, arigatou, I didn't mean to... hm?"

"Ah." She's... very... beautiful, her staggerring face with the blonde hair... she's... "..." Ichika remembers that hallucination or vision, is this... her? That girl who... "..."

"Uh, e-excuse me, I'll just... pass by. ha ha."

"Huh? Oh uh y-yeah, you... go ahead."

"Hai, arigatou." She's very gracious.

"..." Ichika sees her off, she's wearing a black top attire with yellowish skirt, is she... a foreigner or...? "..." Normally, Ichika would be thrilled first before the other Ichika would rise up, but at this rate, perhaps even a staggering beauty is enough to... _blurgh. _"Ah, guh, what the..." Ichika touches his head. _blurrgh, blurrgh. _"W-Wait, now's not the time to..."

"Hey there beauty."

"Huh?" Turning to the direction of that bishoujo girl, or maybe she's a foreigner, she's surrounded by some... guys with... well, those with usual attire of biker gangs or something like... nah, not worth mentioning it, anyway, she's quite flustered at her situation, she looks vulnerable, very vulnerable with her delicate appearance and that beautiful, cute face of hers, it's enough to... enough to... _blurrgh, bluurgh, bluurgh...! _Hysteria Zero Syndrome! "..." Ichika's face become sluggish, and his face expression becomes sort of drowsy, but... "Ah, ha ha." He smirks all of the sudden, normally this would just mean he has something in mind that could be exciting or extrainvigorating, but... when it comes to a bunch of punks messing with a cute girl... "Ha ha... ha ha." He said that evil laugh of sort as he begun to approach the group.

"I got a bike you might want to hitch on babe."

"Uh no I..."

"Hey." Ichika calls out, these punks are sort of harassing the girl with various intrapersonal questions, meaning egoistic approaches on how to hit a girl, and they are very rude in saying it, a chivalrous person cannot stand this. "Would you guys... leave her alone?" Ichika's face is sluggish as he said that.

"Eh?" The girl stands bewildered as to why suddenly he approached. "You..."

"Huh? Who are you punk? You supposed to be this girl's sister?"

"Oh no, but I'm respecting a citizen of the law from being mild harassed by some people... like you ungrateful bunch." He said that last part with a smirk, that was meant to provoke them in a way that they'll show their true nature.

"What was that!" One gang member easily got agitated.

"Settle down, listen up boy, in this part of town, I rule it, and anything that goes here is under my juristiction and those who would discriminate me as nothing more but a criminal gets a lesson of respect. hehe."

"Ha ha." The others laugh off at that.

"..." The girl feels uneasy at these guys, but turning to Ichika...

"Oh, is that so, well I apologize for being discriminated by something you are not." Ichika said that part rather... deviously, why? Because... "Because..." He begun to smirk...

"Hm?"

"You are... but a lowly... scumbag who can't even lay a hand on a spoiled, rotten things like your *****." He said that last part with a very mocking tone.

"What!"

"What did you say!" And the others got agitated as well.

"That's it, you asked for this, men." The other brought out baseball bats, some screw things and other kind of barbed wire things. These are weapons of... well, thugs, criminals, they are rebels in society and would cause trouble around here in bikes and other kind of gang activities like... well, some looting, some robbing as well as...

"Alright, beat him up! Send him to his mother until he can't breathe anymore, then we'll post picture of him crying like a baby!"

"Yeaah!"

"Yare, yare." Though Ichika said that, he prepares for the worst case.

"Um, what is..." The girl hasn't had much experience in this sort of thing, so... "Wh-What should I..." She was on her way to a building to relax or perhaps contemplate things about what she will do in this country.

"Daijobou, as my princess, you should just stand back and let me handle it, okay?" Ichika said smiling at her.

"Eh?"

"Get him!"

"Yeah!" They charge at him.

"Hmph, lowlives." _kccht! _Ichika kicked a nearby trash can then picks up the top of it in mid-air, and he uses it as a shield.

"Hiyaa!" _bluncht, bluncht, block! _All sort of clashing sounds are heard as Ichika's shield is the top of the trash can while they all hit it with all sort of blunting weapons.

"Hmph,"

"Punk, I'll teach not to mess with the boss." The boss said with a barbed wire.

"Boss, the girl!"

"Eh?" The girl stutters at that. "I..."

"I got her." One henchmen sneaks up from behind.

"Hmph," That struck a cord to Ichika to ignore these fools while tempting to focus at the girl. _crrkht! _He passed through the barricades, the boss and the henchmen, then run passed them with the shield in hand.

"Hey!"

"Are you running away you coward!"

"Not a chance, but... my princess calls for me! Hya!" _Whoosh! _He tosses the shield like a boomerang, _Hit! _

"Gaw!" The one sneaking up behind her is hit on the forehead as the boomerang shield rotated in a spiral way back to Ichika and he catched it.

"Sorry, I won't let them get pass me." He said to the girl.

"Eh?" In the first place, she doesn't know how she came to this situation, it may be because she's naive to some certain things about Japan just yet.

"Don't you dare mess with us!"

"Hiyaa!" The punks kept at it.

"Huh?" Some passing police officer lay witnesses to this.

_bluncht, bluncht! _"You guys have some nerves, hitting on a innocent civilian like this." Ichika said seriously with a serious, very serious expression. _Chrrctch! _He pushed them back, the Zero mode not only improves his mentality, but his physical reflexes and strength too it seems.

"Wh-What the-?" The police realizes that this a crime of sort. "H-Hey!" _whistlee! _"Stop right there, you're all under arrest!"

"Huh?"

"Hm?" The two parties, Ichika and the girl, and the punks stop at their tracks.

"You're all under arrest for obstruction of violating the law here, no harmed people should do harm to another!"

"..."

"..." Everyone is in silent, until...

"He started it!" The punks point at Ichika while dropping all of their weapons altogether.

"..." The police finds their claims hard to believe since they are frankly violent looking people while Ichika seems to be decent enough so...

"Eh, uh no, they-" The girl tries to defend him but...

"Yes, I did it." He said dropping the shield while raising his arms.

"Eh?"

"Eh?" Both the police and the punks were surprised at that.

"Uh yes, they- Eh?" Even the girl cannot believe that he's taking the blame.

"I assaulted these guys for... well..." Turning to the girl. "She gets to walk away, that's good enough right?"

"Eh? Uh... yes, the girl will be allowed to go and..." The police said that stuttering.

"Y-Yes, then, we're out of here!" The punks try to leave.

"H-Hey!"

"Don't mind them officer, you got your culprit here, arrest me if you want, just please deliver her to safety." He said that with best regard to the girl.

"..."

"Uh, o-okay, but are you sure you..."

"I am sure." He said that with deadly expression.

"...Hm?" The police man then noticed that a blonde guy is right behind the alley, he just... "Eh?"

"Ah..."

"Ah..." The punks who tried to get away ended up getting incapacitated by them through... electrical wire that is used by agents in the military.

"I am very sorry officer, my daughter here means well, arrest the young man if you desire." The blonde guy said patting the girl on the shoulder.

"Eh?" Who is bewildered at this.

"Oh uh..." Looking at Ichika, the police man thinks he understood the situation enough, if the girl was found to be with Ichika, he might get involved with something like a political matter and might get berated by this guy and his... bodyguard who are a bunch of bald men with clubs, as in baseballs bats, ready to harm anyone on their way, and their boss's way. They just incapacitated the punks who tried to get away. "..." The police guesses that if Ichika remains with the girl, her father, who looks very unreasonable, will have him... well, who knows? Maybe worse than those guys, or... well, it's not important, what Ichika is trying to do here is to make himself look like the criminal so that he may be left unscathed by these guys, perhaps he is gambling through fate or is absolutely certain that things will turn out well. The choice... now remains with... fate itself. "Okay, then, I will take this young man with me, you're under arrest for discriminating our laws."

"Hai." Handcuffs are putted on his hands.

"Ah, no, he's not-" Once again the girl tries to defend her savior earlier.

"Charlotte, leave him be, let's go."

"But-"

"The demonstration is this week, you need to perform well."

"..." As the girl gets dragged away, she looks at Ichika with a sad face, she humbly bows in apology and... "Goodbye, I'm sorry, _sniff, sniff._" She cries in tears for dragging him into this.

"Hm," And Ichika feels somewhat responsible for it.

"Um, l-listen, I don't you're..."

"Ah, sorry, sorry for dragging you into this, officer."

"Oh uh no, I think I can understand, that guy was scary as hell, here, let me remove that handcuffs for you." He does so. "I advice you to be careful though, that man seems to have something in mind for that girl and... thank you, for protecting her."

"Ah, ja, have a safe line of work." He said waving goodbye at the police man. As he goes about his route, Ichika ponders if he can follow that girl, just to ensure he's safe with the assumption that girl's father is... nothing but trouble, he knows when to not count on parents for they tend to be... well, in his experience, he has felt betrayal before, he knows that it's a fate worse than any other, betrayal is worse than a snake bite, than a dog's bite and many other more so... perhaps he can prevent the same fate from occurring to that girl. "Hm, might be worth investigating." It's now passed 1:25 p.m. there are still at least one more hour and 45 minutes before the Zero mode would pass on, perhaps he should do something now.

...In a huge skyscraper that is used for observation from above

"Remember Charlotte, this is our last chance to improve the advanced technology in improvising our second generation IS, if we don't get the data on that boy, we'll never improvise and more than that, the third generation IS of that representative from England will also help us with the improvement of the production of the third generation, and there is still the matter of the third generation IS data from German, we need to..."

"..." The man just keeps blabbering on and on about the data this, the data that and many other more, he's a very obsessed man who wants nothing more to improvise his corporation in order to wage war and perhaps through financial influences that he can harbor influence through natural means of fear, with fear, people can oblidge to his orders and demands and to more than that, he can harbor a lot of power with more fear on his grasp, he can control the movements of financial incomes, the direction of natural resources deplete as well as abundant, well, not the entire economy that's for sure, but the Dunois corporation is the most powerful company in France and anyone dare to oppose them would... well, who knows? Execution? Imprisonment? or... either way, none of it is good, the girl, Charlotte Dunois, knows that if she doesn't oblidge, she wouldn't even be walking as of now in this landscape of Japan and that her mother won't be able to help here now that she's far out of reach. "...Hm." Which troubles her. She might not see the light of the day after she fails to infiltrate the institution called IS academy, with this, perhaps she can... no, the thought of endangering someone is just too much of a hassle for a beautiful maiden like her because like her radiant aura, she's full of benevolency, even if... even if...

...At the entrance...

"Trash compactor truck entering." A trash collecting truck comes through the entrance that is being guarded by one guard only.

"Oh, I see, alright, proceed and enter." The gate to the parking lot is opened, unknown to the guard however.

"..." Ichika hangs at the side, no one knows that he's here, but he certainly has plans here, as soon as the park is reached, _whoosh, whoosh! _he quickly dislodged himself at the side of the truck and started sneaking around like an agent on a mission, secret mission, his mission: locate the maiden to pay her back earlier as well as help her as she seems to be having trouble, he looks forth and forth, watching if there are any guards in the vicinity and then... there is only hell of a hassle he has to worry about and those are the men in black around here, he only has one hour before the Hysteria Zero Syndrome would wear off, why is he doing this thing? Well, he has a urging feeling that he needs to be here. "Hm?" Then he noticed and spotted that beautiful maiden earlier coming out of the front entrance. "Oh." He hides below the bushes of the plants around here, there are some guards patrolling the courtyard but they won't stop him from reaching her, like romeo trying to reach juliet. "They can't see me through here." He said pacing forth and forth as if trying to see if everything is in check.

"Hm?" Then two guards came to see if they heard something in the bushes. "Hey, did you... hear that?"

"Hm," _rustle, rustle. _They check through the bushes.

"..." While Ichika already sneaks through another set of bushes around.

"Hm, nothing, oh well, get back to your post."

"Right."

"..." Ichika hides behind a tree. "That was close, I better not speak a word here." As word of precaution, he said that in his mind, not his mouth. Then he sneaks through the sides where some cars are parked, which he used them as cover to hide his presence, then he quietly sneaks into a... shack, it seems. Or rather, it's a stable. With horse on it.

"Rhoooaarrsse!" The sound of a hourse being punished.

"Huh?" Ichika checks through the stable.

"Quiet!" _Whicht! _

"Hm," A stable... handler, or caretaker is punishing some horses with a whip, he's not hitting them but he's hitting the ground with it, scaring the poor thing. "..." Ichika winched at the horses for being treated this cruelly. "Hm," Maybe he can do something about it, he decided to pull off a little prank. He hides behind the stable, then pulling off some kind of ribbon that he got from... well, who knows where? Oh, and he putted on his IS uniform for convenience like should someone asked, he can just answer that he's here for personal reasons since this building is sort of related for the upcoming demonstration in the colesseum, well, field that is similar to the dueling ground in IS academy actually. "Ahem, hey, is there anyone in there?" He mimicked the voice of... perhaps none.

"Hm? Is there someone in there?"

"Ah, there are some complications with these burnishing tools are out of order, can someone in there help?" He said that while setting up a hole shaped rope on the entrance with some... burnish on the upper shelf near the side.

"Geez, dear God, why can't someone..." _tct. _"Huh?" He stepped on it... _spliittch! _"W-Waah!" The burnish fell on him, making his hair... clear... clear as gold, clear as tan, clear as... "Gyaah! My hair, my hair!"

"Whooaarse!"

"Whooaarrsse!" The horses around were attracted to that clear hair. "Whooaarrse, whooaarsse!" As the man wanders about the stable, he finds himself getting... well... "Whooaarrse!"

"W-Whooa! Hey, let go of me you stinking beast! Let go!"

"Whooaarrsse!" Ichika cannot help but chuckle at the man's situation, no bad deeds go unpunished it seems.

"Whooaarsse!" _Shreeed! _

"Gyaah!" ...That's one burnished hairstyle that has been ripped apart from one's head. "Gyaah!" _Twatcb, twatcbh! _The man run out of the stable and ended up getting burnished all over, he fell at that trap rope again and all the burnish tools fell on him. "Guh." He fell unconcious as a result.

"Hm, that should teach you to be mindful to animals." Ichika said enterin the stable. "Hello there, wild lovely creatures!" He said with a smile.

"Whoaarrssee!" They all greet him in a way.

"Whooaarse." One horse is not feeling well.

"Hm?" Ichika notices her, for some reason Ichika could tell that it's a girl, well, horses are almost identical despite their gender and this one is something Ichika could distinguished in terms of gender. "Hey, are you okay? That man didn't... oh."

"Whooarse." There is a slight bruise on its leg, he must have been hit by the whip of that man.

"Oh, you poor thing, here, let me brush that off." He grabs one white feather.

"Whooaarrse!"

"Wh-Whoa!" He dodges its kick, that would be bad if he got hit. "Hey, take it easy, I'm not gonna harm you, come on ojou-sama horse, here, let me rub it gently." That gentle smile...

"Whoaarse." ...is enough to calm it down.

"Yosh, sa, here we go." Then he begun to brush the bruise gently.

"Whoarse, whoarse," At first it was unpleasant but as he continues to rub it, it became... pleasant. "Whooarse, whoaarse, whoaarse." It begins to enjoy his rubbing.

"There, how is it?"

"Whorse, whoorse."

"Alright, ja, I better..."

"I'll leave things to you here alright?" A voice outside said.

"Hm?" Ichika checks through the hole in the stable to see that blonde guy about to ride on a limousine outside. The girl is also there. "That's..."

"Whoorse." Curious, the horse checks as well.

"What is going on there?"

"Whoorse." Ichika and the horse kept things in order by checking up on the scene, it seems that guy in blonde hair is about to leave, and the girl is staying in.

"Cha, Charlotte, you will be named Charles once you entered into IS academy, I want you to get closed to Orimura Ichika."

"Hm?" That's his name, so he cannot help but be intrigued at the topic.

"Whooaarrse." The horse seems to notice Ichika's surprised expression at the mention of his name, animals seems to have higher senses than humans when it comes to... well, nevermind about that. "Whooarrse."

"Hm?" The horse seems to be urging Ichika to do something. "You want me to..."

"Whoorrse."

Checking on the girl, she seems to be disturbed, that man with blonde girl seems to be no good influence on her. "..." He cannot help but pity her, a maiden like her, beautiful and kind, getting wrapped up with all these delusional fools' business, something must be done.

"Hold it there!" A rough voice calls out.

"Huh?" Ichika and the horse checks again. "What the..."

Some armed men came climbing through the walls. "Eh? Huh?" The girl whose name is apparently Charlotte seems to shock at the sight of them.

"Rebels have entered the premises! Enter into emergency-" _bang, bang! _"Guh! Urgh!" One of the men in black is hit by a gunshot on the shoulder.

"Huh!" The girl is in stunned.

"We know you're here to duplicate or discriminate her! We won't let you do that!" From the look of things, these rebels seem to be French as their accent tells, they seem to be... workers.

"Traitors, get them, leave none alive! Miss Dunois, this way!" _bang, bang, bang! _It seems there is a rebellion.

"You barbarians, we won't let you use her for your own benefit! You better leave Charlotte Dunois alone! For Her majesty!"

"Majesty?" Ichika asked. _bang, bang, bang! _These rebels seem to be working for someone who is revered as to be someone who is a majesty of sort.

"Charlotte-san! Please don't get along with this! Your mother won't approve it! His majesty is just discriminating you from who you really are!"

"Right, for her majesty, we shall give you freedom Charlotte-san!"

"Everyone..." This Charlotte girl seems to be the one these rebels are fighting for, perhaps, they are workers within the Dunois corporation and thought that the head of it must be going unfair that they decided to rebel, things like this are common within a corrupted society in which when a corrupted politician suddenly decided to use corruption and no justice was done, riot is called for. "But..."

"Dunois, let's go!" One man in black grabs and pulls her.

"Get your hands off her you filthy dogs!" _bang, bang, bang! _The rebels retiliated.

"Gr, rebels scum, this is for the sake of the Dunois Corp, men, fire!" _bang, bang, bang! _And the aggressors, the men in black, retaliated as well.

"Gr, men, don't give up, for her majesty's wish, we shall grant Charlotte Dunois freedom!"

"Yeah!" These rebels' cause is just, they seem to be wanting the same as Ichika, free that girl, Charlotte, from the clutches of that corrupted bastard of a man who is the head of the Dunois corp.

"Charlotte, huh." Ichika took care to remember her name.

"Whoorse."

"Hm?" The horse is urging... Ichika... to... ride on it. "Eh?"

"Whoorse, whoorse."

"Are you saying... that I should save and get her out of here?"

"Whorse." They are on an understanding.

"...Okay, ja, if it's for her sake, I'll gladly do it." He said that while smirking.

"Whoorse, whoorse!" The horse is pleased. Ichika rides on it, he does not have experience with it but he should be having no trouble as... when a maiden is in trouble, any chivalrous person should be able to pull through. Yosh, this is... "Whorse, whorse!" If there is something Ichika could translate through the horse's saying, in a sixth sense, with the help of the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, "Let us save her, you young prince!"

"...Ha, yeah, let's." Ichika said smirking, this time. "I am... all pumped up!"

"Whoorsse!" Pulling the horse through the rein, the lift forward, then with the horse started marching, Ichika stops for a while.

"I'm going to need something first, hm?" He spots a storage. "That's..."

"Whoorsse!" Urging the horse to go there, it jumps through the obstruction and went there.

"This is...?" Ichika unboarded the horse and opens the storage to see... "Ah." A personal IS... the... second generation IS of... "...The best one."

...At the courtyard

"..." Charlotte hides behind a barricade while the men in black claim to be protecting her. "Hm," Truth to be told, in her time during the production of second generation IS in Dunois corp, some workers came to pity her for not being treated wonderfully the same as her mother would treat her, those workers were part of the production effort of the corporation, over time, they begun to grow fond of the girl for her enthuastic and calm and gentle nature to the point that they have devoted themselves into her cause, promising to protect her from harm and that they will uphold her majesty, Charlotte's mother, wish for her.

"Kill them, kill the rebels!" _bang, bang!_

"Hmn," At the dedication of the rebels, Charlotte decided to stop the fighting. "Stop!" She stood on the middle. While blocking the rebels side.

"Charlotte-san?" To which they question.

"Miss Dunois, move aside, these rebels will pay for their crimes here."

"No, it's not them, father... father..."

"Mr. Dunois is doing his best for the best of-"

"Don't give us that! You don't tell us what to do and what is the best for all of us, you just want to increase your influence!"

"Yeah, so don't give us the spout that this is some good course of action for Charlotte-san!"

"Everyone, please stand back, I appreciate what you are trying to do here." Charlotte let herself be composed as she stood on the middle, taking a deep breath. "Please tell father, that I... for the sake... ...for the sake of..."

"Charlotte-san?"

"Hm?" Both parties listened until...

"For the sake of everyone, I will go along, I will attend IS academy as promised."

"Charlotte-san!"

"Daijobou! I know what I'm doing."

"Hmph, you rebels should feel lucky, if she isn't gracious, she would be-"

"The hell with that crap!" A voice suddenly butt in.

"Hm?"

"Hm?"

"Huh?" Running straight towards Charlotte is...

_Throd, throd, throd! _"Whoorse!" A knight, or a prince running towards her.

"Charlotte!" It's Ichika.

"Eh? You..." Charlotte recognized him as the guy who tried to save her earlier, except this time, he's in IS uniform and he's carrying... the bread slicer of... a pendant on his arm, it's her...

"Hey, you! Who are you? Why are you-" The men in black demand answers but...

"Hmph," Bringing out a Garm, _bang, bang, bang! _

"Guah!" They all duck for cover, Ichika fired at them while riding on the horse, it seems he can access some of the weapons of the personal IS that is in its closed form due to... _flash, flash. _The pendant he's carrying his glowing.

"Huh? My personal IS... glowing?" Charlotte thought, her pendant, which is the closed form of her personal IS, the Raphael-Revive Custom II, is indeed glowing, perhaps, it's allowing Ichika to... borrow some of its armaments to protect its user? "..."

"Arrgh!" _bang, bang! _Ichika stopped firing for a while, looking at the time, he only got 30 minutes before the Zero mode would pass on.

"Damn you, fire, fire!" _bang, bang, bang! _The men in black fired at will.

"Hmph," _block, block, block! _ Using the grey scale, Ichika managed to block of their shots.

"Huh!" To which they are all shocked.

"Hmph," Ichika smirks in triumph at that, "Sa, here you go! Hiya!" _bang, bang, bang! _Then he countered back by firing more at them using the Garm.

"Guah!"

"Hey, you guys, you take Charlotte out of here, I got some unfinished business with these guys!"

"Whoorse!" The horse prepare itself as Ichika tosses the pendant to Charlotte.

"This is?"

"You can have it, it certainly wanted me to rescue you, hmhm."

"Eh?"

Flashback...

At the storage...

"This is... IS? A personal IS?" Ichika comes across the Raphael-Revive Custom II here in its closed form, not the pendant form, but when it is unoperable at the moment. "Hm," He pushes the button, _flash!, _it responded. "Huh?" Though Ichika already possesed a personal IS of his own, this one also responded but not for him to use it but... "Huh?"

It stares at him as it activated its system on its own, then some wires were inputted at Ichika's head, for communication it seems. "Whoorrsse!" The horse gets agitated a bit.

"You." It's trying to tell Ichika something, the personal IS of Charlotte Dunois. _flash, flash. _It's sensor flashes some light, indicating that it's saying something, it's sending out some motion waves towards Ichika's brain as if that is its way of communicating with him. _flash, flash, flash. _Then it begun to talk more and more. "..." From what Ichika could translate of what it's saying, it's like...

"You are a worthy one, please save my partner, she's in dilemma, she cannot make a decision, please save her, I'm begging you, I shall lend thy armaments to aid thy in its attemp, this machine begs thou."

"...Understood." _flash! _The machine turns into its closed form after Ichika made a vow to rescue its partner and user. "I promise," While holding the pendant, "I will... save Charlotte Dunois." He said that with determined eyes.

"Whooorrsse!"

"Sa, let's go!"

"Whooorsse!" The horse gets excited at that.

End of flashback

"Whoorrssee!"

"Sa, hir it up boy!"

"Whoorrssee!"

"Why you-!" _bang, bang! _"Fire, fire!" The men in black fire at will.

"Whoorrsse!" _block, block! _Ichika deployed half of his IS, enough to summon the Yukihira type 2 to block all the bullets.

"Charlotte-san, this way!" One of the rebels escorted her.

"But..."

"You guys, we'll leave it up to you, support the hero!" Right, by "hero", it's Ichika who is like a prince in a horse for them.

"Right, we're right behind you all the way our hero!" ...Since when did this became something like a play or something?

_bang, bang, bang! _"Tch, damn rebels, who the hell is that horse guy!"

"I don't know, but-" _Thudct! _"Guh!"

"Wah!" Ichika just passed by one of them, with the horse kicking them on the jaw, but it was not at full force, so he should be okay, he hope.

"Whoorsse!" Ichika then turns to them after jumping through their barricade with the horse. "Whoorsse!"

"Teme!" _block, block! _Barrier void attack is in session, deflecting the shots, and rendering the bullets useless.

"Hmph," Ichika smirks at them. Then some limousines from behind came.

"We're here as reinforcement that were sent by Dunois-san, hand over charlotte dunois!" Some reinforcements that are sent by that head bastard of the dunois.

"Hmph," Ichika glares at them.

"Tch, reinforcement, hey, our hero, you take Charlotte out of here!" One of the rebels shouted.

"Huh?" While Ichika turns to them,

"Fire!" _bang, bang, block, block! _ The rebels fire, only for their bullets to be block off by the barrier void attack and the bullets rendered useless. "Gr," To which they are pissed.

"We will hold them here, please keep Dunoi-san safe!" The rebels plead to Ichika. "Hiyaa!" While they fire at the reinforcements. And the remaining body guard for Charlotte.

"Hm, okay. Hiya!"

"Whoorrsse!" Ichika jumped through the barricade again and went towards Charlotte.

"Ah." Who is to be escorted.

"Let's go, Charlotte." Ichika offers a hand.

"But..."

"Charlotte-san, please go." _bang! _One bullet shot was enough to cover Charlotte, done by the rebel. "Please go, we'll be safe, as long as you're alive, that's good enough moral for us! You, boy, bring her somewhere safe, talk some sense into her, we're counting on you." The leader of the rebels said with a thumbs up.

"Ah, sure." Ichika returns with a thumbs up of his own.

"Good, then Charlotte-san, please go with him." The rebel grabbed Charlotte then carried her at the back of the horse.

"Eh? Huh?" She's confused, she's riding at the back of the horse with a prince, Ichika. "I-I..."

"Whoorsse!"

"Sa, let's go boy!"

"Whoorsse!" The horse oblidged and started marching.

"H-Huaah!" Charlotte hanged on to Ichika.

"Hang on tight, this is gonna be fast!" _Thod, thod! Whoosh! _

"Whoorssee!" The horse jumped through the wall with Ichika pulling the rein then they started marching for the lake.

...Meanwhile, the rebels. "Yosh, with miss Dunois safe, we should be able to focus on getting rid of these bastards! Sa, da la resistence shall prevail!"

"Hai!" With that sort of moral, they're ready. _bang, bang, bang! _

"Tch, damn rebels, get them!"

"Hai!" As the forces clashed, the prince and the princess made their way for the lake for some serious conversation.

_Thod, thod, thod! _"Um, where are we...?"

"Daijobou, we got something to think about, you got some time right?" Ichika asked while winking.

"..." Then they rode off the distance. "You... what is..."

"Hm?"

"I haven't got your name."

"Oh me? I'm... I'm Orimura Ichika, nice to meet you."

"Huh." She's shocked at that, so this is him, the one she... "Orimura... Ichika."

"Whooorrssee!" _thod, thod, thod! _The horse kept running towards the nearby lake.

...Meanwhile, at IS academy

"Eh, at the demonstration huh." The president of the student council stretched out her legs on the desk as a fellow member reported about the upcoming demonstration of Orimura Ichika.

"Hai, there are also reports that some germans will come to see if they are more... well, they say that someone named Laura Bodewig will be present to challenge our class but..."

"We are seniors, we can't oblidge to something like that," Turning behind. "But, did you hear? That boy around here is getting quite popular."

"I know, so what is your decision president?"

"What is my decision?" Turning to her, "We wait, simple as that." She said lying back on her seat.

"That's it?" The member blinked twice before asking again.

"Hai, nothing good will happen if we interfere, besides, everything for the sake of chivalry right!"

...Speaking of chivalry... at the lake...

_thod, thod! _"We should be safe here." Ichika unboarded the horse.

"Um, O-Orimura-san..."

"Hai?"

"I..." Truth to be told... something that separates a maiden from a prince... that is...

End of chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Chapter 7: The Broken Heart Being Healed**

...At the lake...

While the horse is eating some grasses, both Ichika and Charlotte had a serious talk while staring out at the lake where you can see the sea also, it's a fresh scenery where one can take one mind's off. "So you're saying that you were supposed to disguise yourself as a male to improvise the credit to France, to Dunois Corp, and let you steal the data on my Byakushiki as well Cecilia's blue tears?"

"Hm, yes, I..." The maiden is in disarray. "I didn't want to do it, even my friends... who..."

"You mean those resistence of French?"

"Hai, them, they're... hm, they're very loyal to me, my father hasn't been kind to me and the only ones who were ever my family was my mother and them, I..._ sob, sniff. _I betray them, I went along with my father's plan and..."

"Let me guess, you wanted to disguise yourself, well, that means... well..."

"Hai, I'm... I was supposed to..." Bringing out a male uniform inside her bag, she presents it as her way of... disguise nonetheless. "Now that you know who I am, ha ha, I'll probably... I'll probably..." She looks down in sadness.

"Hm, tell me Charlotte, are you okay with that?"

"Eh?"

"Are you really okay with that?" Ichika stood up.

"What are you?"

"I'm asking if you're okay with that!" Ichika isn't really angry at her but...

"Eh?" She's taken aback by his sudden outburst.

"Parents are parents, child are child, they shouldn't be someone you should force yourself into, if you love your parents, then stay with them, if you don't, then they don't have a right to hold you a prisoner." Ichika walks off near the lake shore.

"Orimura... -san."

"You can call me Ichika."

"Eh?"

"You are supposed to enroll in IS academy right? Well, one of the articles in the academy demands that no student should be alleged or suspect of being in affiliation with any organization or agencies out there, so if you were stay there... your father... cannot reach you."

"..." Perhaps through sheer will of wanting to protect someone like her that Ichika remembers that, hell, all sort of information are flowing through him because of his Hysteria Zero Syndrome but... only five minutes left... but... _blurrgh, blurrgh. _

"I will... protect..." _blurrgh, blurrgh, blurrgh! _Throughout his time in Zero mode, Ichika has developed an habit of controlling it, like right now, despite running out of time... _booosst... blurrgh, blurrgh, bluurgh-! _He has made it... throughout the whole day... it's now no longer a two hour limit for the Zero mode, it's... five more hours... through sheer will and strong determination to selflessly help someone, it seems it reacts in a positive motion. "I will protect you."

"Eh?"

"Charlotte Dunois, I swore... in this body and soul of mine, I will..." kneeling before her... "I will take you under my care, if you will allow me to."

"..."

"..." This is like a confession of sort, normally, whenever Ichika is in his Zero mode, he would act all confident and chivalrous, but right now he seems to be very serious, like this is something very important, all the lives that are important to him are precious, but this is the first he has acted this way, perhaps... because of the extra gauge of the Hysteria Zero Syndrome that his attitude is boosted a little.

"Wha... Why are you... O... Ichika-san, why are you... being nice... to me?"

"Dismiss "-san", I don't like you referring to me as such." He sits beside her.

"Eh?"

"Just call me without any suffixes, and Ichika would be nice, so Charlotte, what do you say?"

"..." What can she say? That a stranger suddenly popped out of nowhere and confessed something like a vow or something to her and suddenly she's being taking care of? "..."

"Well?"

"Whoorse, whoorse?" The horse noticed something, a group of... one man, a blonde guy, and... unmanned drones. "W-Whoorsse!" The horse got terrified and hide behind Ichika.

"Hm? What is it boy?" The horse gesture at the direction of the group and they turn to it. "Hm?"

"That's..."

"Charlotte." It's Mr. Dunois being accompanied by some unmanned drones.

"F-Father."

"You." Ichika turns to him. "What are you...?"

"You must be Orimura Ichika, you have been a bother."

"Hmph,"

"My men tell me you have abducted my daughter, I am here to take her back, I ask you to behave yourself and be a nice boy or else..." The unmanned drones' presence is a sign of fear, something Mr. Dunois is good of. "I can't guarantee what will occur."

"And If I say I don't give a damn about your threats?"

"Hm," The man scoffs at that.

"Hm," Both glare at each other.

"I-Ichika, Ichika-sa- I mean..."

"Charlotte, which will it be? Will you go with this man or turn your attention back to me? Come back to me and your mother will be proud of you."

"Eh?"

"Don't listen Charlotte, you know it's not true, if there's anyone who knew your mother best, it's you." The pendant of Charlotte glows at that word.

"Ichika. Huh?" The pendant catches Charlotte's attention. "Raphael-Revive Custom II?"

"Thy shalt go with him." That voice was only heard by her.

"Eh?"

"Thy shalt want freedom, slavery is but an illusion, thy shalt aid thou and thy shalt go together with this man, he is the beacon for you, come, we shall head towards the future with him and beyond!"

"Raphael-Revive Custom II... Hm, okay. Ja..." Turning to her father.

"Charlotte-kun?"

"Father, I... I won't come back." She said that with determination.

"Hm,"

"Gr," Ichika smiles while Mr. Dunois scoff in disappointment. "I see, ja, you would rather die with him, I was feeling this might happen so..." _click. _He pushed something like a switch.

"Hm?" "Hm?" Both Ichika and Charlotte wonder about that.

"I plan to sink this entire country... with me."

"What? What did you say?" Ichika asked.

"Father, what did you..."

"This switch will trigger a tsunami motion into this city and soon the entire city along with that wretched academy will be sink to the bottom of the ocean, as it should be mine! Only mine! Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha!"

"You sick, deranged bastard!" _Flash! _"Hyaah!" Ichika charged forth, not wanting to hear anything more out of him.

"Hit me if you will, you cannot stop-" _Thud, _"Hiya!" _Strike! _

"Guh!" Ichika knocked him unconcious.

_blast, blast! _"Target: Confirmed." The unmanned drones have already been programmed to disaggregate Ichika and Charlotte. _blast, blast! _

"Gr," Ichika dodges all of their assault.

"Whoorsse!" The horse hide behind the trees. _boom, boom, boom! _"Whoorse!" But even that isn't enough.

"Ichika, gr, let's go, Raphael! Hiya!" Using the bread slice, Charlotte rushed through. _slice, slice, boom, boom! _Destroying some of the unmanned drones.

"Hiya!" Having Byakushiki already deployed, _Crunnch! Crack! Crunch! _Ichika punched through the sensors of some of the unmanned drones, making them blind, then stepping on their sensor one by one, he performed... "Hiyaa!" _Sliice! _A sliced through attack through two of them using the Yukihira type 2.

_shoock, shoock. _"Target: Unconfiirmmedd..." _boom, boom! _They all exploded.

_blast, blast, blast, boom, boom! _Only three more. "Hiyaa!" _slice, slice, boom, boom! _Two down, Ichika brought them down by slicing them through their torso, where their cores are, using the Yukihira then he flies away for a bit.

_blast, blast! _"Target: confirmed. Initiating-" _stab! _The bread slicer went through. _shoock, shoock. _"Target: Unconfirmeeedd..." _boom! _Charlotte took care of the last one.

"Ichika."

Ichika landed on the ground. "This is not over yet, that bastard..." At the far end of the lake, a wave is gathering up, the sky above is gathering, like a typhoon is coming, it seems to be a massive generator at fault, perhaps its hacking through the system of other systems and its gathering up electronic waves to gather enough vaporite mixture to turn sky into red and then... with enough electro magnetic waves on the water surface... _shake, shake, shake! _

"Uwaa!"

"Charlotte!" Ichika grabbed Charlotte as she was about to fall off from the sudden earthquake.

"Whoorsse!" The horse too is frightened.

...Around the city...

"Wh-What the?"

"What's happening? Is there an earthquake." Some disturbances are occurring everywhere, some screens, that of t.v.s, cellphones and other interfaces are becoming static and now there is only dark sky above, something is emanating like a bunch of electricity gathering at the sea...

"What is going on? Is there some kind of storm ablewing?"

...Back to the near lake...

"This is..."

"Ichika, look."

"Huh?" Looking at the sea. "Wah." A typhoon... gathering... and... Wind are ablewing.

...At the city...

"Hm? This wind, what could it be?" Strong wind are ablewing everywhere. All sort of stuff like paper posters and other materialized things are being blown away by the wind.

"Ah- A tornado?"

"A tornado?"

"What the-"

"It's heading for us!"

...At the sea, a tornado is gathering, it's going to hit the city. "Wah! Run for it!"

"We better get out of here!"

"Calm down, everyone!" The police try to calm the uproar and panic of the city.

"Don't tell us to calm down! How can we be calm with THAT around!"

...Back near the lake...

"Ichika!"

"Gr, that bastard..." The man responsible for this is still unconcious on the ground and he won't be able to stop it through that switch he just pushed. The clouds are dark in the sky and... thunder are hitting everywhere, this isn't good, this artificial machine that can cause a weather dysfunction is something that should not even exist, with this, the Dunois corporation is surely will... become downfall now. "Hmph," Ichika decided to do something drastic. "Charlotte, listen carefully."

"Eh? I-Ichika?"

"I'm going in there, in that tornado."

"Eh?"

_Splaash, splaash, splaash, SPLAASH! _Not just a tornado, a killer tsunami is about to hit the city! "W-Waah!" Screams of thousands can be heard a distance, everyone is panicking for their lives and they can't take much more of this, it's going to hit the city.

"Waah, run for it!"

"Run!"

"Gyaah!" Everyone is running forth, ignoring the police, and they themselves started to run at the sight of the tsunami.

_splaash, splaash, splaash! _At this rate, it will take a miracle for something to save the city and... "Hm," Someone who is blessed by the shooting star should be able to do it. "Alright, ja, Byakushiki, let's do it." _flash. _The system does something, like the interface of Byakushiki is focusing on what to do, and it seems to be... forming a sentience of sort. "Sa, let's go-"

"Ichika, wait, where are you going?"

"The system generator for that thing is at the sea floor right?"

"H-Hai, probably..."

"Ja, there is one solution: I'm going to ram that thing to smitheerens until there is nothing anymore."

"Eh?" That's a risky, suicidal move, one closer to the generator and it might cause a malfunction that will destroy anything inbound, like anything and anyone nearby will be decimated and not even one particle of the matter will survive. "B-But Ichika, if you do that you'll..."

"There isn't much choice here."

"Whoorsse." The horse comes out in hiding, it seems to be caring for Ichika as it understood what they are saying.

"Boy, you take care of Charlotte, got it?"

"...Whorse."

"But Ichika-"

"We don't have any other choice, once I leave, you get to somewhere safe okay?" Ichika prepares the thruster, this is gonna be a longshot.

"But Ichika-"

"Charlotte, do you understand what at stake here? If I don't stop that holocaust, we'll all be living in ruins and people will die, many lives are at stake, and I rather take the risk than do nothing at all, please, believe in me on this."

"Ichika..."

"I promised you that I'll take care of you and bring you to IS academy... but for now, be assured that I'll make sure in my power that I'll do everything to ensure that, so..." Turning to her, and walking towards her and grabbing her arms. "Charlotte, do you trust me?" _flash. _His eyes glow a bit red, perhaps the Hysteria Zero Syndrome is being pushed to the limit.

"Ichika... Hm, I do believe you." A touching scene of a maiden and a prince...

"Whoorse, whoorse!" The horse dances around, as if showing its blessing to them, then the sakura blossoms raining down upon them.

"...Charlotte..."

"...Ichika... Hm,"

"Hm," _chu. _A sharing of intimate kiss. They lasted at least for about... five seconds. Then they broke off. "Ja, you better get going."

"H-Hai."

"Ja, wish me luck, hmhm." Ichika smiles at her.

"Ichika..." 'Ichika... you're... you're... hmhm, you're the best guy... that I... met.' Tears roll down on her eyes as she confirmed that in her thoughts, like she has made a vow or promised to trust in him until the end.

"Sa, here I goo-! Hiyaa-!" _Whoosh, blaast, ablaaze! _Then with the thrusters at full force, Ichika charged for the tornado at the sea that is causing the typhoon. "Hiyaa!" Then he types the letters Z.E.R.O. on the interface. "Byakushiki, let's do this!" _Flash. _The system responded out of pure sentience, it's alive, Byakushiki is alive, and so... responding to the user's plea. The interface glowed golden light, then Ichika was provided all set of possible courses to take, and now, with only one thing in mind... that is... to save... anyone... in the city... everyone... Charlotte's face ablewing in his mind... _Flash! _That was enough. "Yosh, let's GOOO-!" _Whoosh, BLAAST! _With full speed, he moved on ahead.

"Ichika." Charlotte sees him off.

"Arrgh!" _Whoosh, whoosh! _Flying towards the holocaust, it's quite unstable given that this is not just some ordinary calamity, it's being caused by a genocidal machine that is at the ocean floor. That bastard Mr. Dunois is the cause of all this, after this, it will likely that the Dunois corp will ceased of being as it is and perhaps something new will arise, something greater, something brigher, something with a good cause, but right now isn't that time, something must be done... by a hero. "Hiyaa!" Arising up, Ichika prepares to go through the sea floor by climbing up to the top of the tornado, then from inside, he intends to go through the sea floor and knock the beating of the generator there. "Aahhrrgh- ARRRGHH-!" _Whoosh, flash. _Byakushiki has become full gold, indicating the Z.E.R.O. programming at work.

...At the city...

"Come on, we gotta get out of here!" Everyone is running forth, there has been some accidents already with cars crashing one another and some pedestrians complaining and yelling, and drivers yelling out for them being untoo careful, and a lot of pedestrians running forth from the upcoming calamity.

"Hey, can't you at least move on! We can't stay here!"

"Won't you guys just keep going, hurry up! We're gonna die!"

"Waah!" Some children begun to cry outloud.

"Dammit, hurry up, I don't have all die!"

"Line up, line up, please! Line up..." Some police are keeping order here.

"Don't tell us to line up! We're gonna be swallowed by that tsunami, run for it!"

"Everyone, please calm down!"

...At the sea...

_spllassh, spllaash, SPLAASH-! _"Hiyaa!" Ichika flies above and... _Whoorrll, whoooorl! _The tornado's intensity is too intensifying, with this the thruster will not be hold on much longer. "Hm," Ichika then remembers the lesson of equilizer from Yamada. "Equilizer huh, I guess, it's a good thing that Rin suggested equipping one, so... Heh," Smirking, he activates it and then a coordinate is provided for him by the Z.E.R.O. programming. _flaash... flassh... Ablaaze, ablaaze! _"Arrgh!" He managed to get to the top! "Ahh!" Then using Ignition boost, he increased the pace of the thrusters, as well as the equilizer, he managed to get in! "Ahh!" _Whooorl, whooorl! _The tornado is absorbing sea water. "Gr, this is too bad." While trying to control his balance of not getting absorbed by this typhoon, he managed to see something glowing below it's... "There it is!" It's the holocaust generator that was created by the Dunois corp through genocidal intent. "Ahh!" Speeding up to it... _splaash, splaash, SPLAASH-! _The tsunami is getting violent, causing some of the water to enter through! "Grugh, argh!" Ichika is now soaked in water. "I will... gr," _ablaaze, ablaaze! _Not stopping now, he proceed forward, "I will..."

Flashback...

"I promised you that I'll take care of you and bring you to IS academy... but for now, be assured that I'll make sure in my power that I'll do everything to ensure that, so..." Turning to her, and walking towards her and grabbing her arms. "Charlotte, do you trust me?"

"Ichika... Hm, I do believe you."

"Whoorse, whoorse!"

"...Charlotte..."

"...Ichika... Hm,"

"Hm," _chu._

End of flashback.

"Gr," Everyone's mind is one... and the face of everyone, Houki, Rin, Cecilia and Chifuyu-nee and the others are flashed, and then... with Charlotte's face smiling... he intends to go through that promise of returning... "I will..." Houki's face smiling... "I will..." Rin's face smiling... "I will..." Cecilia's face smiling... and then Charlotte's face smiling... "I will SURVIIIVEE-!" Target: confirmed. The core of the machine... _ABLAAZE! _"Arrgh, ARRGH-!" ..._cruunch, crunch, craack... shoock, shoock._

_Whoorl, whooorl! _The tornado stopped swirling and the typhoon stopped at the shore.

"Huh? That's..."

"Whoorse." Charlotte and the horse bear witness to this.

...While underwater...

"Ahhrrgh, HIYAA-!" _Crack, crack! boom, boom! _The generator begun to explode. "Let's go, ByakushiKIII-!" _craack... craack... craack...! _With one straight punch to the core... _shatter! CRAACK-! CRUNNCH! boom, boom, boom! _

...At the surface...

_boom, boom! _"Ah!" Charlotte and the horse saw this, the calamity has been stopped.

At the city...

"Wha... What the?"

"What is that?"

"Huh?" Everyone is in awe of what happened, the tornado stopped and the clouds that are dark are clearing.

"Did a miracle occurred?" One of the police officers said.

...At the shore...

_Flash! _One shooting star passes by, a miracle was granted. "Ichika." The waves slowly go back in forth as the abnormal weather stops now. "Ichika... huh?"

Something coming out of the sea... _splaash... wave... Splaash-! _"Ah!" It's Ichika, Byakushiki is a little rusted, but not really rust, merely scratches of all the debris that he encountered. He landed on the shore. "Ah, whew, that was... close. I never... been there before." It seems his Zero mode passed by, even if it's still not yet five hours, he must have used its extent use, which makes him worn out, very worn out.

"Z.E.R.O. programming shutting doown..." The Byakushiki interface shuts down itself and the IS returns to its closed form, in a form of a gauntlet, leaving Ichika to lay on the ground.

"I..." Staring at the sky that is now rid of dark clouds, the sun emanated at his face. "...did it. Ah." He said with a delighted smile before passing.

"Ichika! Ichika!"

"Whoorse!" Both the horse and Charlotte went to his aid.

_Flash! _A shooting star passed by, signifying that a blessing has been blessed on Earth.

End of chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Chapter 8: A German Soldier's Heart**

Class 1...

"Hai, my name is Charles Dunois, nice to meet you!" In front is a bishounen guy... or a disguised Charlotte, she's here on her first day of debut in IS academy, sort the least. She's introducing herself in front.

"..."

"Kyaah!"

"Wow, another guy who could pilot an IS!"

"Yeah, we're gonna have..."

"Hmhm," Charlotte... Charles chuckles at the reaction of others, except...

"..." 'Charlotte... why do you have to... change into that...' A mentally fatigued and exhausted Ichika thought in his mind, after using the Hysteria Zero Syndrome for about... well, it's fullest or mightest, he was exhausted that it took him for about five days to rest up in the clinic, but then again, that too is not yet enough, and stil he needs more five days to rest up, worse than that, he's having a hard time comprehending what is in front, what is being discussed, and to make matters worse, in just two days is the final, or rather, the most awaited day of the IS demonstration of the only man who can pilot an IS, mainly him, and how he will perform in the eyes of a lot of people, and the media, and right now, he has been attending classes to make sure he doesn't skip some learning session around even though he's in a critical condition of collapsing, though for some reason, either because of strong will or determination, that is he able to pull through despite his fatigued state, his expression however is catching the attention of his worried classmates, more importantly, Houki, Rin and Cecilia, and Charlotte too, after the incident with the head of the Dunois corp, who has been arrested for his abusal, and the resistance of France, Charlotte was granted permission to attend IS academy in order to be safe for a while while the resistance members would go back to France to set things right in the company. "..." Right now, Ichika is still at his fullest and he's still fatigued, catching Houki's attention.

"Ichika, you look... sick." She said, she's not minding the introduction in front, she's more worried about her childhood friend.

"Hm... Hm... U..." Who is keeping his expression awake so that he doesn't fall, he would raise his head from time to time whenever he is about to fall asleep, then when he thinks he can't take the pressure, he would just lay down his head on the desk and pretend to be half-tired while keeping his eyes open, which are tearing up because of his weak status.

"..." Cecilia is also caught in that expression. 'Ichika-san, what are you...'

"Ah."

...At Class 2

'That Ichika, what has he been...?' Rin ponders as the teacher discusses in front.

Class 1

"Hm..." The introduction of Charles Dunois is over and even he can't get excited about it, the blood of the Hysteria Zero Syndrome would arise, but not take over, Ichika has full control of it now due to experience of being able to activate at will and him being paralyzed sort to speak by the trauma of him using it to the full potential that day at the lake where he asked Charlotte to stay here and he would be caring for her as much as possible. But right now, he needs rest, a lot of rest, for the upcoming demonstration. Come to think of it, there will also be germans who will come to that colosseum where it will take place, supposedly some german representative will be demonstrating the power arm of the German and how they conquer the French during world war II, well, those were feudal times, but right now, French is a peaceful country and a nation.

"Well then, please treat Dunois-kun well, everyone." Yamada said nicely.

"Hai!"

"Hm, ah." Ichika merely groans for his condition is fatigued right now.

"Well then, Dunois-kun, I hope you enjoy your stay here with us."

"Hai! Sa, about my seat hm..."

"Oh yes, you're going to need to... let's see hm..."

...After class, at the hall...

"..." Ichika walks groggily such as his state, his only goal in mind right now is either go lunch or go to the rooftop for some fresh air since all the excitement about Charlotte- Charles Dunois transferring has reached every corridors of the academy and not one can Ichika go to sleep at this rate and it would only makes things worst if he does fall asleep. The instructor from hell is still here, and it would make things worse if there would be appointment with her.

"Orimura, I have something to discuss of you." ...Speaking of hell...

"...Hai?" Ichika said rubbing his eye while giving out a yawn.

"Not here, in the faculty, let's go."

"Hai."

...Faculty office

There are other instructors here, they're filling in each other with everyday's effort and report about the current staff status that is holding up like how class 3 is going to manuever all the Practice IS development for the next IS manuever lessons and then there's that upcoming ball where everyone will dance at the field with a bonfire on the middle, supposedly, it will take place right after the demonstration this upcoming Saturday where some german representatives will join the fray and show the military strength of the German country, well, that and some friendly contest to see if the representative candidate of Germany is tough as they say, she is said to be a super soldier who revere Chifuyu as sort of a goddess figure like most everybody else around here. "Sa, I would like to speak with you about the upcoming demonstration."

"Hai?" Ichika is keeping his stance of not falling asleep as he is already deprived of energy.

"As you know, there will be some german representatives there, there's this group that I know, they are called the..."

"..." Ichika didn't heard it clearly due to his vision getting blurry and his ears becoming drowsy at their conversation though he did heard the part like a german representative candidate will attend the meeting.

"-so that being said, I'm going to tutor about some basics IS manuever in both aerial and on the ground."

"Hai." He sighs once more, hope he can do this, otherwise, it's public humiliation, he definitely hope that other Ichika would rise up from its slumber anytime soon.

"Alright, ja, you can finish whatever business you have, I'll see you after lunch."

"Huh? You mean I won't be attending the other session?" He asked that Chifuyu left.

"Weren't you listening? Everyone is preparing for the upcoming ball, they don't have time to hold on class sessions for now."

"Eh? You mean we won't be having regular classes from now?"

"Right, but that doesn't mean you guys can slack off, anyway, I'll see you later. Ja ne."

"Hai." Both Orimuras went their separate way as they left the faculty. The younger Orimura makes his way to the cafeteria while...

Some creeping shadows... well actually, they're visible on plain sight. "Target is on the loose."

"Hm, roger that."

"Whoo, this is exciting." Nohohon-san and her friends are stalking the target; Ichika.

"..." He keeps a straight pace as he heads for the cafeteria.

With Nohohon-san and friends in toes. "Orimura-kun is within grounds."

"Hm, we have to ask Orimu about the upcoming ball."

"Ah, about him being the class representative of class 1 and how he will be the center of the bonfire this ball after the demonstration, we'll use it as a celebration for him and all of us, even class 2 and the other classes are involved." The three nod at that.

...At the cafeteria

On Ichika's way to the cafeteria, the three are still stalking until... "Ichika!" Here comes Charlotte... or Charles right now.

"Huh?" Ichika groggily turns to her.

"What a coiencidence meeting you here." Right, what a great coincidence indeed, she said that while fidgeting her arms behind. She's eager to meet him here it seems. "A-Are you going to eat?"

"Ah, I'm going to eat." He said that groggily, not that he wants to be rude, but there's nothing he can do about the drowsiness in him that is swelling right now.

"Oh is that so, t-then, why don't we... eat together and..."

"Hm?" That sparked some intrigueness into Nohohon-san and the other two.

"Orimura-kun is..."

"And Dunois-kun is..."

"Hm, oh, gyah." They blush at a certain explicit images that they see at the usual yaoi manga around here... that's not accounted for! It's plain utter nonsense!

"O-Orimura-kun isn't like that right?"

"Y-Yeah I guess so and..."

"Ichika-san!" A new voice. "Are you going to eat?"

"Hm?" The three sees Cecilia.

"Hm? Oh, Cecilia, what is it?"

"Nothing, just want to make sure you're in your tough condition and... ha ha." She said that merrily.

"...? I'm going to eat now, ja ne."

"Ah wait, Ichika-san!"

"Ichika!" Both Charles and Cecilia went in.

"Orimura-kun and Dunois-kun know each other?"

"Hm,"

"I don't know." The three said.

...In the cafeteria...

"Here Ichika, ahh."

"Ah, arigatou, Charles."

"Hm, it's nothing."

"..."

"..."

"..." Despite the friendly interraction of both Ichika and Charlotte, the girls are having an eery sensation of something... explicit about men's relationships, these are Houki, Rin and Cecilia by the way.

"Suspicious." Cecilia said in a murmuring tone.

"Hm, I agree."

"Hm," Rin as well. As well as Houki.

"Here, another one, ahh."

"Ahh." Just before another bite.

_Slam, _"Ichika-san, here, I made my favorite british accent food bento that everyone has been known as the baked tuna of a bacon." Wow, what a... combination of ingredients.

"Huh?" "Eh?" Both Ichika and Charles laid their eyes on it, it looks... distinguished from an Asian cooking but... the aroma can be quite... disturbing for some reason, like the aroma of a dying fish going...

"Uh... Cecilia, did you... cooked that?" Ichika asked suspiciously, if she's the one who did it, and from what Ichika could tell of Cecilia's cooking, he has tasted some these past days, it could be a biohazard product.

"Hai, aren't you honored? The proud representative candidate of England cooking for you."

"Uh..." Not like he's not feel honored or something but... the aroma...

_slam, _"Here, Ichika, ramen."

"Eh?" Rin slammed down a bowl of ramen.

"I made it, consider it as investment for all the training regimen that I gave you these past months."

"Uh... thanks...? _siip._" He said taking a sip.

"Can I have one... too?" Charles... Charlotte asked.

"Hm," This strike sort of an alarm sound into Rin. "No, only Ichika can taste it."

"Hm? Why's that? I don't mind, besides, I don't mind having another guy to eat this."

"Oh, arigatou, Ichika."

"Ah, here, say ahh."

"Ahh." Using a chopstick, Ichika feed Charlotte.

"..."

"..."

"..." Which the three girls deem suspicious as well.

"Very suspicious."

"Hm,"

"Hm," Cecilia, Rin and Houki said in agreement.

"Well then, how about I show you around the campus later Charles? That way you'll get familiar with the environment."

"Hai, I would like that." Like a little angel, she giggles at that which...

_stagger, stagger. _Which the three girls who has feelings for Ichika find... disturbing and disrupting, basically the same thing.

...At the hall...

"Here, Charles, is where the courtyard is, you can find all sort of comfortable place around here and..." As Ichika provides a tour guide for Charlotte around, three creeping shadows are hiding outside, tailing the two.

"Target is on the loose." Reported Rin.

"Hm," The other two nodded.

"But where are they going?" Cecilia asked.

"Who knows? Ichika has been proning at that guy."

"Hm, something is up to those two." Cecilia agrees with Houki to which they nodded unison.

"And this here, see..." Ichika continues with the tour.

...Meanwhile, in an underground submarine...

"Clarissa, I'm reporting for departure." A test-tube made soldier reported, she has a beautiful silver hair with an eyepatch on her left eye that seems to be different... well, her left eye seems to glow yellow for some reason in contrast to the eye color of her right, which is red.

"Ah, we'll be departing for Japan soon, the land of the rising sun is within our grasp."

"Hooraay!" The other women with eye patches said.

"Ja, full speed ahead, our destination is Japan, we'll be there in a matter of days and we can finally see forth with our own eyes the land of wonder!" She said that with glimmering eyes, the lieutenant of this... well, german submarine group it seems, they are known to be the most top elite soldiers in Germany and their representative candidate, Laura Bodewig, stands ready to greet the battlefield with intense glare. She has someone she is willing to visit at IS academy, a favored instructor, someone who she revers as her only and only instructor in this world, someone... like... Orimura... Chifuyu... and the one who separated her from her is... is...

"Gr, Orimura Ichika, I don't... acknowledge... your existence." She said that as her left eye glows.

...At IS academy...

"Well, have you gotten used to this place?" Ichika just took Charlotte to the garden like place of IS academy.

"Hai, I think I've gotten used to the place. hmhm." Whenever Ichika sees this beautiful, too beautiful smile of hers, he cannot help but let the other Ichika reigns in, well, not willingly, but the blood is rising at this beautiful, gentle smile.

"Ah, hai, I'm glad, hm." He stares at her. "Charlotte, I'll take care you, like I promise." He said that in his mind as they hold hands. "Yosh, sa, let's go now to the..."

"..."

"..."

"..." Three creeping shadows, this time they are behind a monument figure of... well, someone, probably someone important in this academy, whoever it is, probably the founder or somebody.

"Target is on the loose." Rin reported once more.

"Hm,"

"Hm," And the usual respond from the other two.

"What are you doing?" A voice asked. "Why are you hiding like idiots there?"

"Hm? G-Guaah!" They all fall down unison at the sight of Chifuyu. "O-Orimura-sensei!"

"What are you doing spying on those two?"

"Oh uh... ha ha." Rin laughs merrily with the two waving nervously.

"Well, I would admit that they get along well, but from what I understand, Dunois-kun is the first male Ichika has ever interracted with, well, apart from... hm, whoever that laid back imbecille at that Gotanda place or something."

Right, this imbecille is supposed to be one of Ichika's friends from middle-school, and then there's another, one who frequently hangs out with this so-called imbecille. "Um..." The three said unison.

"Well I wouldn't worry about those two, they certainly get along well, that being said, I have a favor to ask of you three."

"Eh?"

"This morning, I want you to..."

...Meanwhile, at the other side of the academy...

"So Charlotte, what have you been thinking after all this time?"

"Well, I suppose I can't keep up my identity as Charles forever, my friends... the resistance told me that the Dunois Corp will be going down soon and it will be run by..."

"Let me guess, you?"

"Hai, I'm planning to left where Mother once wanted me to do."

"What was it?"

"Well... Mother was... She told me that someday I may lead a better life and lead the corporation to a better path instead of focusing merely on the production of second generation IS." She said that as they look out the distance in the sea. "I wonder though, can I... really do this?"

"Charlotte." _bluurgh, blurrgh. _Uh oh, here it comes, the other guy, which is not really another... well, it's not like this will be a different person emerging, it's Ichika all the same, only more confident, very confident. "Charlotte." He calls out.

"Hai?"

"I'll protect you."

"Eh?" He takes her arm. "Whatever the thing is in my path, I will strive to make you feel safe, until then, I'll leave the decision making to you, you can leave the academy if you want, I will respect your decision, but... if you're going to ask my about my personal opinion..." He kneels down like a prince proposing to a princess, he brings out a bracelet then gently inputs it on her wrist.

"This is...?"

"A gift, should you ever decide to leave the academy, I'll be sure to miss you, everyday... will be... will be seldomly boring for me if you weren't around, so if you're asking for my personal opinion, I would be very grateful, if you are staying."

"...Ichika..."

"Charlotte." ...Both stare at that same spot near the lake where they shared their first kiss.

"..."

"...Ja, gotta go. Ja ne." He waves at her.

"I-Ichika, I..." She watches him leave. "Ichika, hm," She stares at the bracelet. "Hm, Ichika, I... if it's you, I... I would gladly... I would gladly... I would gladly stay here for life, with you... and... together we..." She's in "la-la land" right now so she's in a state of... well, girls are like this, and it's very cute. "Fufu," She's laughing merrily, then there's some chibi Charlotte as well as Chibi Charles dancing around merrily while holding hands on her head, if there is a sub for this, they are saying 'Just a little moment of happiness, just a little moment of happiness, just a little moment of happiness,' and kept repeating it in an unison way of dancing around together, well, that's about it.

...Later that night...

"Hiya!" _Strike! _

"Guah, ow! Hey, you don't have to be so forceful." It's training session again and Ichika is being driven to the edge.

"If I don't take you seriously, you'll perform poorly at the demonstration in two days time, so give me all you got, hiyaa!" Rin is about to charge at him again.

"H-Hey, I-"

"Wait up, Rin-san." Cecilia steps in the way, prompting Rin to stop.

"Cecilia, what is it?"

"Well..."

"Oh, Cecilia, arigatou, I thought I was..." Ichika thanks her but...

"Eh? But Ichika-san, I was going to double the effort here. hoho."

"Huh?" ...but he'll soon regret thanking her.

"Yeah, so instead of one on one, let's make this two on one! Hiyaa!" They all charge at him.

"H-Hey, dammit!" _blurgh. _"Huh?" Just when they were about to brutalize and annihilate him, something stirs up. "This is..." _blurrgh, bluurgh... _A vision.. or hallucination, one can be certain at... "..." _bluurgh, blurrgh, blurrgh! _Ichika sees... a group of... women? They seem to be soldiers from Germany and they are... in... a submarine? There's one particular beauty where the vision is focusing, a silver hair, doll like appearance of a girl with an eye patch on her left eye, she seems to be... an IS pilot due to her piloting an third generation IS that is... a personal IS, a representative candidate it seems, someone from Germany, someone who... _blurrgh, blurrgh! _The vision stops and Ichika's sight returns to the training session, he has entered into Zero mode in the process. "..."

"Hiyaa!"

"Here I go Ichika! Hiyaa!" Then Houki enters the fray.

"..." Ichika's mentality is reflected on Byakushiki, the letter Z.E.R.O. is input on the interface, making the reaction time very slow and doesn't have to and so... "Perfect... victory." He said that in a murmuring tone and... _slice, slice, slice! _

"Wha-!"

"Guh!"

"Ah!" In an instant, the three girls were incapacitated as their weapons were suddenly sliced up by the Yukihira type 2 that is suddenly ignited and then in a blink of an eye, Ichika started to man things up around like finishing this training session as soon as possible as he is feeling dizzy due to that vision earlier and he would rather end this session as quickly as possible.

"Hm," Ichika lands triumph, but he doesn't feel like it. "Sorry, but I gotta go, I'm not feeling well." He said that while touching his head.

"Eh?" While they are defeated, they are more concerned for him as he is having a hard time composing himself, he just removes Byakushiki and it has reverted back to its closed form of a gauntlet.

"Ichika-san? Are you okay?"

"Ah, just a little... dizzy."

"Sounds bad, I think we should end the training session now."

"Hm, I agree, sa, let's bring him to his room."

"Hm." They all nod in unison.

...Meanwhile, in a certain room in the class building...

"They are coming huh." Chifuyu stares at the distance, seeing the sea, but she's not calm, she's not calm at all as... "That idiot, foolish girl, is she planning to..." She remembers a certain disciple, who is very eager to have her teach her, she was very devoted at her to the point of a fanatic, well, military fanatic and then this supposedly test-tube soldier will be participating in two days time at the demonstration of Ichika, to show the prowess of Byakushiki to some degree, it won't mean a thing if he lost as the directors were ready to anticipate that, but that's not what is worrying Chifuyu, it's about her brother meeting that test-tube soldier, her reaction will probably be... unstable and... uncontrollable if she does meet with him on that day. "Laura Bodewig, if you dare become like me, I swear... you will regret it, for the rest of your life." She said that with a sharp glare.

...At the colosseum, after two days after...

"Yaah!"

"Hooray!" A lot of crowd are gathered here, some instructors, mainly Chifuyu, who is in a jogging suit, and Yamada, are present at the stage where the performance will take place, there will also be some IS tournament that will be performed down the field below, it will not be just Ichika who will be performing it seems, Chifuyu added a few interesting people, Rin, Cecilia and of course... the kendo group, they are expected to brawl with some other kendo club wherein their mettle will be put to the test and that whoever wins will be marked as the same champion as Houki was once before when she won the national championship of kendo, a lot of people are rallying up in excitement as the fireworks for this event has already been set out.

...Inside the main hallway...

"_Sigh, _yare yare, this is too becoming obnoxious." Ichika said, he's not yet fully recuperated, but here he is, in front of many crowds, or will soon to be, ready to handle things by his own, he can activate the Hysteria Zero Syndrome due to some experience in which he was able to activate it with intense will and sheer determination to protect someone, perhaps... if he thinks of someone... well, it's only natural to think of someone else and that might help him a bit.

"Hurry up Ichika, they're expecting you!" Charlotte is also here, helping him prepare and giving some encouraging words along with...

"Orimura-kun, good luck!"

"Good luck!" The entire class of class 1 is cheering him on.

"Hm, hai, sa, wish me luck.

"Hai, good luck!"

"_Sigh,_" Ichika prepares to step out with Charlotte as his escort.

"Sa, Ichika, take a deep breath," He does so. "And remember that it doesn't matter if you don't perform well, just do what you can out there and prevail, sa, good luck!" She said running towards the seats of class 1 along with the rest.

"Charlotte, hm." With some encouragement from a beautiful goddess, he seems to be fired up. "Yosh,"

"Sa, we will now begin this uphold demonstration to see the prowess of the only man who can pilot an IS in the world, Orimura Ichika!" There's the announcement.

"Y-Yabe, too soon!" He said running forth.

...At the stage...

"Orimura-sensei, Orimura-kun isn't..."

"He's over there." Chifuyu points at the latter who is climbing up the stage in a hurry.

"Ah, Orimura-kun!"

"Ah, there he is, the only man who can pilot an IS in the world, everyone, I present to you Orimura Ichika!"

"Yaay!"

"Woow! He's so cool!"

"Yeah!" A lot of yelling and cheering, and squeeling.

"Yay, Orimura!"

"Go Ichika!" Charlotte and the others cheer.

"Orimura! Orimura!"

"Ah, ha ha." Ichika feels like a lot, hundred actually, of spotlights are all turned to him like he's the center of every attention here in the colosseum that is packed with many audiences who has come to revere him as such as the only guy who can pilot an IS, Charlotte still haven't revealed her gender as well as her personal machine, but she should hang on in there but right now, he cannot help but worry about his own situation. "Th-This is..." While everyone is enthuastic about this, everyone is giving Ichika a thousand sweat on the back that he can feel right now that he feels like he just showered or something. "..."

"Well then, to begin with the demonstration, we would like also to introduce some personal machines that are owned by the representative candidates of different countries who are studying in IS academy, this in courtesy of Orimura Chifuyu being gracious about showing us the capability of IS as well as the users."

"Yaay!"

"Eh? Chifuyu-nee did that?"

"Hm," Chifuyu stands in the stage with her usual expression of being calm, but strict to her code.

"Orimura-sensei, they're ready." Yamada informed.

"Well then, bring them out," Chifuyu said as Yamada went somewhere along with the rest while she remains onstage with Ichika and she grabs a microphone. "Well then, to introduce some of our personal machines, I would like to introduce first my own younger brother who is studying in IS academy, the personal owner of my former IS, the Byakushiki, Orimura Ichika!"

"Yaay!"

"Kyaa! He's so good looking!"

"Yeah!"

"Yay, Orimura-kun!"

"Go, Orimu!"

"Orimura!"

"Go Ichika!" A lot of yelling, both from girls outside of the academy as well as class 1, and Charlotte, she's included in that category.

"Ha ha ha." Ichika laughs nervously as he waves towards the crowd while sweating in a thousand... well, sweat drops. "Guh, this is so unnerving." He said in his mind while looking down.

"Next is the representative candidate of England, I give you the owner of the third generation IS of England, the blue tears, under the owner of Cecilia Alcott!"

"Yaay!"

"Hi, everyone!" Cecilia pops up with the blue tears in hand.

"Wow, so cool!"

"Yeah!" A lot of folks cheered.

"Next, the representative candidate of China, she is the owner of another third generation IS personal machine, I give you, the owner of the shenlong, Lingyin Huang!"

"Hehe, hi, nice to meet you all!" Rin pops up with her personal machine as well.

"Wohoho!" A lot of guys got excited, well, she's a girl, as well as Cecilia, so it's only natural for them to get attracted.

"Ah, wow." Ichika noticed that, a lot of cheering for Rin as well as cheering from the noble Cecilia, well, she's rich and all but... The kendo club is also on the side, they are preparing for the tournament here in which another set of kendo club is in toes, this is going to be a competition."

"Well, arigatou-gozaimasu, Orimura Chifuyu-san, and now, we would like to first demonstrate the personal machine of Orimura Ichika, please, can you show us your IS?"

"Oh uh yes, I..." _blurrgh, blurrgh. _"Hm?" Something is stirring up. "I..." _blurrgh, blurrgh. _Following of vision of... a german... representative with intense glare, like she's glaring at him. "...Hai." He enters into Zero mode, _flash!, _and deployed Byakushiki.

"And there it is, the personal machine of Orimura Ichika, once belong to his older sibling, Orimura Chifuyu-san!"

"Whoa,"

"Wow." Everyone stare at it.

"Hmph, Ichika, I hope you're prepare for this, I won't show you any mercy." Rin said in her thoughts.

"This will show our prowess are representative candidate, I must not lose, even... even to... even to you Ichika-san!" Cecilia said in her thoughts as well as she marks Ichika as the most target. "Hm."

"Hm." Both girls nod at that.

"Hm, well then, before we begin, I would like to intruct you all to..." Houki begins giving instructions to her kendo members, they are preparing to brawl soon.

"Everyone is here but... huh?" Ichika spots a group of soldiers, with a personal machine in front, the german representative along with some soldiers with eyepatch, they are at the flank and they are marching in.

"I would like to also welcome the german candidates here, they are here for the demonstrations as well." Chifuyu said in the microphone.

"Ah yes, we did heard of this, welcome german soldiers, we are honored by your visit here."

The germans, with the exception of the representative candidate, give a salute of "the honors is ours" which they step one foot on the side, then returns it to its previous decision, then they salute at the crowd, germans have been known to be like this. "Those are..." Charlotte is a French countrywoman so she's rather weary at the sight of the germans as they are... well, during world war II they are... nah, everything has been signed on a treaty now so there's no need to go over what happened in the past that is irrelevant, well, certain irrelevant stuff.

"Those are the german candidates." Nohohon-san confirms.

"Yeah, I wonder if they're going to cooperate."

One lieutenant stepped forward and saluted, then all of them saluted altogether with the exception of the representative candidate of their country. "Well then, to begin, I would like to introduce the personal IS of the representative candidate of Germany, Laura Bodewig, please show yourself." Chifuyu said to which...

"Hai, reporting for duty!" That was quick, one girl, who has silver hair and an eyepatch, stepped forward and saluted towards Chifuyu, she just passed by her own countrywomen.

"...There's no need to exaggerate like that." Chifuyu said in her thoughts. "Well then, her IS is that of the Schwarzer Regen, a third generation IS that was produced near the end of the incident with the white knight long time ago, it is capable of..." As Chifuyu demonstrated or informed everyone of the IS capabilities of the IS, the german representative candidate turns to Ichika.

"...That's him, you... I don't... acknowledge your existence."

"..." Ichika has noticed her stare as the Zero mode is at its high capacity, this will take a lot of Ichika as he is still not yet fully re-energize enough to be at top condition, so Ichika plans that should something happen, he's prepare to activate the Z.E.R.O. programming of his... well, it will be "inputted" once... he's already in Zero mode so it will likely be activated.

"Well then, to begin with, I would like to petition among the representatives to go first, anyone who-" Just as Chifuyu was about to give the rights, or the assign opponents, someone...

"I will go, I will challenge..." Laura Bodewig stepped forward, much to Rin's and Cecilia's dismay, and..."him." He would mean...

"..." Everyone turns to Ichika.

"Huh? Uh, yeah, that would allowed in this demonstration as..."

"..." As the intercom said that, Chifuyu eyes Laura. "You spoiled girl, you dare to..." She clenches her fist.

"Well then, I suppose we should heed the demand of the representative candidate of Germany, Orimura Ichika, please step foot on the field, it is time for the match session."

"Hooray!"

"Yay!" Some became excited at that.

"Ichika."

"Hm?" Just when Ichika was about to go down, his older sister called up. "What is it?"

"Be careful with her, I suggest not taking her lightly, that girl has an infuriating ego that will make her go berserk, I advice you to either finish it real quickly or get your face tramped by her, that is all." She walk away and returns to her previous position afterwards.

"Hm, hm." Ichika seems to have heed her advice but... "Sorry Chifuyu-nee, I... have... something... in mind." He said that as he type the letter Z.E.R.O. on the interface of Byakushiki.

"Ichika."

"Orimu."

"I hope he'll be okay." Charlotte and the rest of class 1 are all in dilemma whether the challenge of the german representative was a good idea or not, as she seems to be taking this very seriously which means... something unpredictable might occur.

"..."

"..." Both Ichika and Laura stand in a position where they will face each other in the field.

"Um, C-Clarrisa lieutenant, are you sure we..." Even the german soldiers who came with Laura are in dilemma whether this is a good idea.

"I'm not sure, but this is Bodewig's request, we can't deny her of such."

"..."

Turning back to the field... "..."

"..." Ichika is sort of like glaring right now due to his Zero Mode compelling him to. And Laura is pretty much glaring from the start. "Bastard, I don't acknowledge your existence."

"..." Ichika scoffs at her expression that seems to suggest something like 'you're in the way, I will annihilate you.'

"Ichika." Houki and the rest of the kendo club watch with interest.

"Ichika."

"Ichika-san."

"Ichika." The rest of class 1 are also worried about what will happen.

"Well then, please stand by both of you and... start!" The bell rings.

"Yaay!"

"Horaay! Fight, fight!"

"..." Ichika responded by moving in a pace around the field along with Laura, who also does the same, except... Ichika's reaction time is low, as the system is now taking care of future outcomes, Ichika's main focus is... somehow... penetrate through the darkness that is covering this girl, it's not suiting for her, she needs to cheer up, she needs happiness, and if there's something Ichika can't stand is... a lone soul, never finding one's happiness and... "I will... give you... fond memories."

"Kisama, I will beat you here in an instance, and now... you... will... begone!" _Whoosh! _"Hiyaa!" Six wires of daggers are all deployed simultaneously as she charged forth.

"Wha-!"

"Ah!"

"Wah!"

"Ichika!" Different reactions at that certain and suddenly deployment.

"Hm," Ichika however as low reaction time as the Z.E.R.O. programming seems to have depicted this kind of movement beforehand, so that being said... "Hm," He merely moves to the side to dodge the assault of Schwarzer Regen, a third generation IS that was produced by France's enemy, the German, and so...

"Hm, too slow, I already foresaw that action." She said to Ichika, but... given her boastful statement, it is she who has not seen the future outcomes so... _sliing, sliing! _With the wire knives in target...

"Hmph," Ichika smirks at that, then when the wires was about to get contact with Byakushiki... _slash, slice! _

"Wha-?"

"Hmph," The other knives which were left out of course clashed against those that were directed at Ichika, making them jumble all over the place. "You shouldn't left overs at bay," He said taking advantage of the situation, while the knives were circling around in circles. "Hiya!" _Tchht!_ He kicked one knife wire towards the others, and then... _tchuat! Twaaach, shart, shart, shart! _causing them all to spread like a bunch of pool balls being spread all over as the white ball passes by to which...

_shart, shart, shart! _"Gr!" Laura finds herself being overpowered by her own armament. _slash, slash! _Damaging the Schwarzer Regen outer parts, this is the first mark of inpact on Laura. "Gr, bastard." Not standing for it, she prepares a railgun. "Ahhrgh!" _boom, boom! _That's one rail gun to behold.

"Ichika!"

"Ichika-san!"

"Watch out, Ichika!" Rin, Cecilia and Houki exclaimed.

"Hm," Reaction not required, formulating of data necessary, object projectiles in bound... "Ah." Activating Yukihira type 2, the approaching projectile bullets are seen by both the Z.E.R.O. programming as well as the eyes of Ichika, being in his Zero mode, by the way, Z.E.R.O. stands for zoning and emotional range omitted which stands for something like a sixth sense being given to the user, given that Ichika is already exposed to the sixth sense in his Zero mode, the Z.E.R.O. programming is just doing something like an analytical observation of the situation, then giving the user all the possible courses to take, like when one is focused at something, the system will take care of that and bring forth the absolute or perfect victory or complete annihilation but... due to Ichika's strong will that is both insisting of his will, that is supported by the Hysteria Zero Syndrome, as well as the programming taking care of the path to take, this should be... quite a struggle of mentality, as well as one's own physical body as this kind of system manuever is like driving your mind to the edge, right now Ichika's only focus is to "purify" the target: Laura, as she is sort of deranged at the moment, he doesn't blame her of course, according to the programming, she is obsessed with Chifuyu as she is being shown, Chifuyu that is, on the interface of Byakushiki and Laura wanting to be tutored by her since she was the one who gave her the morale as well as the will to continue to keep pushing hard in her training, a dedicated soldier to Chifuyu, as well as a test tube soldier, who has only been taught of the military ways, never knowing what it means to live a life of a normal girl, the system, strangely, shows an image of Laura, as well as Ichika, running forth towards a field of flower wherein they both hold hands and her exclaiming something like 'My bride, you are mine.' or something like that. Then, it all became apparent to Ichika on what course to take in this situation, and right now, the interface of Byakushiki glows in gold, signifying that the programming is now being driven to its fullest. "Arigatou, now I know what to do." Back to the situation at hand... The approaching projectiles are still inbound. Ichika merely turns to it and...

"Pulverizzeed-!"

"..." _whoosh, whoosh! _

"Hm?"

"Wha-?" Like a quick lightning reflex, Ichika dodged the rail gun bullets then... _slice, slice, boom, boom! _

He took care to destroy of them using the Yukihira type 2 given that they might hit the crowd. "Ahh."

"Whoa, sugoi, this is the power of Byakushiki everyone, the first IS to be constructed, as well as the former IS of Orimura Chifuyu-san!"

"Ichika. Hm," Chifuyu observes the situation from atop the stage. "Hm," She's having something like a throb on her chest.

"Orimura-sensei?" Yamada, who is at the side, noticed that she's feeling sort of... well, not composed or reserved or something like that.

"Gr, you." Turning back to the field, Laura just thought of another plan of attack. "Kisama, I'm not done yet!" _ablaaze, ablaaze! _She projected some beam sabers with her hands, amaizingly enough.

"..." Reaction time low, target inbound. "...Hm," All sort of calculating data are flowing in, with the Z.E.R.O. programming taking care of the situation, this can be done by only focusing on "purifying" the target, which... is a beautiful silver hair soldier who is just seeing through the deception she is engulfed with and find true happiness, much like all the rest. "Laura huh, Laura Bodewig, I..."

"Hiyaa!" She charges forth.

Reaction time slow, slightly raising magnitude. "..." Ichika raises the Yukihira for a duel.

"Hiyaa!" _clash, clash! _The two clashed weapons on the middle then back away from each other.

"..." Ichika stays at his position with a stance of defense.

"Hiyaa!" Laura keeps on with the offense. _Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! _The next courses of attacks were that she continue to unleash more attacks, but Ichika stays on a defensive state wherein he would just counter every attack, these series of attacks were dodged swiftly by both his reflex as well as his will. "Kisama-!" Turning to the direction of the Byakushiki.

_Whoosh, whoosh! _Ichika performed a runabout throughout the field's corner, then he went straight back to her, _slice! _

"Grr!" Only for her to get caught and then her laser beam is disarmed from her, _slice, slice, slice, slice! _then the same course of action were performed, completely dismantling all the sabers of the Schwarzer Regen. "Kisama! You dare..." _whoosh, whoosh! _just when Ichika was about to make another impact out of her, "...you dare to tarnish me!" _block, block! _Active Inertia Canceller, A.K.A. AIC is activated, preventing anything from going through her and the Schwarzer Regen. "Hiyaa!" While in this condition, Laura took the initiative and is about to lay a punch on Ichika...

"..." Reaction time slow, no need for interface... "..."

"Hiyaa!" _Thud, thud... Crash! _and she succeeded in doing so. Ichika is sent flying to the side of the field.

"Wah!"

"Uwa!"

"Orimura-kun!"

"..." The entire class 1 is in disarray of that, the only one who didn't seem to respond to that was Chifuyu, who was clenching her side to... well, to the point that they would probably bleed at any moment. 'Ichika.'

"Hey, Ichika!" Rin exclaimed.

"Ichika-san!" Cecilia exclaimed.

"Ichika!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Ichika!" Houki exclaimed. "Ichikaa-!"

...On the side... "..." Reaction time not required, system operational, ready for combat manuevers. "..." With a serious face, Ichika turns to Laura.

"_huff, huff._ Hmph," She smirks at her first mark at him as a sign of german strength.

"Uwa, that was a nasty hit, Orimura Ichika was sent to the side."

While the rest of the audiences were in puzzle, the rest of the field were in awe that Laura may finally take the upper hand as right now, Byakushiki's thrusters were badly damaged on the impact, making Ichika unable to move from his position. "Hmph," Laura is about to deliver the final blow...

"O-Orimura-sensei..." Yamada is starting to feel like there should be a call-off of victory now, it's pretty obvious in this state but...

"Ichika!"

"Orimu!"

"Hey, that's enough!" The class 1 is getting agitated at this.

"Hey, stop it, you already won!"

"Stop!" Rin and Cecilia exclaimed.

"Ichika!" Houki and the rest of the kendo club were getting agitated as well.

"..." Ichika remains at his position, unfazed by his situation. "Hm,"

"Sa," Preparing the railgun of Schwarzer Regen, it charges to max capacity. _chaarge, chaarge._ "Sa, sayonara." She said, Laura Bodewig said, and so... _Blaast, blaast-! _

"Hm," Chifuyu clenches her side to the fullest, making her bleed a bit.

"Orimura-sen-" Before Yamada could react, she already jumped to the field from the stage.

Everyone else is in disarray as they are about to lay witness to a massacre of sort, well, injuring opponents is certainly one of the army's way, and now someone is about to be sent to the medic back to... well, to the infirmary perhaps or the medics of Japan and...

_blaast, blaast. _"..." While the blast is approaching, the Z.E.R.O. programming allows some sort of subspace of consciousness, making Ichika and Laura intertwined in their thoughts, as well as their heart. "Just what are you aiming to do?" He asked that while the of them are direct contact in this subspace without any clothing.

"I want... I want... I want to be acknowledged by instructor."

"Instructor, huh. You are referring to..."

"You are her younger brother, someone who... someone who... you took her from me!"

"Is that so? I see, hm." In this subspace, it seems all sort of feeling would run through, Ichika's feelings are that of melancholy as well as regret, "It's true I was kidnapped when I was about... well..."

"That's no excuse, she was... she was..."

"You know strength without any conviction will only lead to your downfall, Laura Bodewig."

"What do you know? I..."

"I know enough that deep within your heart that you want Chifuyu-nee to- No, Orimura-sensei to appreciate you, to be approved of what you have done, you do this because she's the only person who has ever given you something like a morale to keep going."

"..." Jackpot at hitting the spot. "Yes, yes, that's right, I want instructor to acknowledge me, not you, you're... you're..."

"Let me ask you something, if something that occurred that made Chifuyu-nee mad at you, what will you do?"

"What?"

"Let me tell you something, Chifuyu-nee isn't one to be taken lightly, she doesn't like someone becoming like her, you wanting yourself to be something like a worthy soldier to her is something she cannot tolerate."

"Silence, you know not-" _Flash! _"Huh?" Something triggers into Laura's psyche, this is shown in the army at Germany where Chifuyu once instructed. In here, Laura is like a child who is eager to learn from a role model. "This is...?"

"Hm," Both of them watch it together.

"Instructor, what makes you strong?"

"How is it that someone can become strong. I have a brother, I am searching for him, if it will take me about at least a year, or two, I will make it worthwhile and find him if it is the last thing I do."

"What? But... soldiers are not-"

"Laura Bodewig, becoming a soldier is pretty much like becoming an instructor as well, I didn't came here in this position merely because I had the strength that everyone admires, I am here because I am living with a younger brother who has given me support from time to time and it is his presence that makes me persevere through hardship, you however, you mustn't become like me, don't ever begin to think to become like me, if there is something within you, seize it and do not let the opportunity pass, seize it, and your enemies will be undone."

...That's the end of it. "...Hm, Chifuyu-nee." It seems Ichika has learned more something Chifuyu.

"Instructor..." Laura is in disarray, she can't focus the projectile of the rail gun. "I..."

...At the field...

_blaast, blaast. _The blast becomes much more intense, it's about to hit Ichika. "..." Who is still unfazed at this hour.

"Ichika!"

"Ichika-san!"

"Ichika!"

"Ichika!"

"Ichika!" The two IS representative candidates on the field, Houki and Charlotte exclaimed altogether.

_blaast, blaast! _"Orimu!" "Orimura!" Everyone exclaimed.

_tap, tap! _"Stop right there, Laura Bodewig!" Chifuyu said drawing a katana that is used for equipment in the IS armament.

_blaast, blaast! _"..." Ichika is still unfazed.

...Subspace...

"I..." Laura grovels, not knowing what to do. "_sob, _what am I supposed to..."

"Ja, let me help you." Ichika said lending a hand.

"_sob _huh?"

"You say you want to be at least be kept safe right? Something that wants you persevere through your hardships?"

"_sniff, _what are you saying? I..."

"Ja, as of my own choice, I will protect you, Laura Bodewig, together, we..."

_blaast, blaast! _

"Reach..."

_blaast, blaast, blaastt-! _The laser projectile is within bounds.

"...the promised land!"

"Promised... land..." The subspace then turns into a flowery field. "Ah." In here, Laura has no clothes, Ichika has no clothes either, this is... the garden... of eden. "..."

"Sa, let's go, Laura Bodewig." He extends his hand.

"Orimura... Ichika."

...At the field...

"Hm," _ablaaze, ablaaze! _Mental capacity stable, system overload, one last attempt. "Hmph," Ichika turns to Laura, _ablaaze, ablaaze! _and went for an attack with a clenched fist.

"Ah!"

"Wha-!"

"Ichika!" Everyone was taken by surprise by his comeback movement.

"Orimura-kun!"

"Orimura!"

"Ichika!"

"Orimura!"

"Hiyaa-!" Ichika continues to charge through the laser particles. "Hm," _blaast, claash, ablaaze! _"Grr, grr." Full capacity overload, energy at 5% capacity, cannot compute anymore... "Hiyaa!" ...but that doesn't stop... the unlimited potential... "Hiyaa!" ...of Love! "Hiyaa!" _ablaaze, ablaaze! _Going through the particle, _Blasp, Blawwrgh! boom, boom! _The clash of power made an explosion that made the entire field be engulfed by a bright light.

"Ah."

"Wha-"

"Guah!" Everyone is stunned at it while...

"Ichika!"

"Waah!" Charlotte and the rest cover their eyes from the glow.

"Hiyaa!" Ichika clenches his fist and aims at...

"..." Laura's chest.

"Ahrrghh, arrghh-!"

"Orimura... Ichika." She said and... _clunncht! _his fist is at chest, and then... _bllurrgh, ablaaze, ablaaze! _A heart symbol is inflicted on her chest, purifying the darkness in her, and so... the true self... can emerged. "I..."

"Laura Bodewig." As Laura is about to lay unconcious. "Hm, I will protect you."

"Orimura... Ichika." She falls unconcious as the blast cover the area.

"Wha..."

"Huh?"

"What the...?" Everyone turns their eyes on the field, once the glow has passed, they see Ichika holding Laura in bridal style, her IS has been closed for now.

"Hm," Ichika stands triumph at this.

The ordeal was hard but it was worthwhile. "Ichika." Chifuyu could see that her brother had done a tremendous feat of purifying this german soldier. "Hm, hm, that's right, strength comes... from your love one."

End of chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Chapter 9: The Bonfire of The Night to Remember**

...At room 1025...

"..." Ichika is here with some infirmary appliances, not some there is some surgery going on but... he's deprived, deprived of energy, all of it, he used the Hysteria Zero Syndrome and after the demonstration, he was taken immediately back to the academy for some rest, it took about... well, not even a day for now, it was earlier that the demonstration ended, Ichika is pretty covered with some appliances that are connected to his arms, as a way to hold up his blood from going uprise and create something like a blood pressure problem, though that is pretty much impossible as Ichika is still young and healthy, it just took him almost every inch of his mentality to perform the feat he just performed back there, the Z.E.R.O. programming pretty much overpressured his mind and he needs a lot of rest to cover up, something is also on his mouth that is for air breathing, he needs some of it as he is so fatigued that he feels like he's been deprived of almost of oxygen on his body. "Ah, ah. This is... worst than I thought." And tomorrow would be... no, that is today, it's been passed midnight recently, so today is that ball of the IS academy. Everyone will dance... with Ichika as a special "host" of sort, and there is even one bigger surprise.

...Flashback...

"What's that? You want to attend IS academy?" Chifuyu asked Laura with some German candidates behind her, including her trusted lieutenant, Clarissa Harfouch.

"Bodewig would like to get accustomed with your culture, instructor Orimura." She said saluting along with the rest.

"There's no need for that, I'm no longer your instructor, either way, you're asking us to take this girl with us to the academy?"

"Hai, that is what we intend to do."

"And, what do you get out of it?"

"Nothing more than to let Bodewig to get accustomed by your culture, Instruc- Orimura-san, and in return, she won't be going into battle for a while, as in favor for not taking advantage of our third generation IS model, the Schwarzer Regen will at IS academy for the duration of the upcoming semester."

"Hmph, normally I would refuse if this is some plot you intend to get ahold of my brother so..."

"I assure you, I mean him no harm, I give my word on it, moreoever, I give my life!" She said that, Laura that is, with a straight face to Chifuyu, something she hasn't done before, quite an impressive feat.

"..." Chifuyu seems speechless at that, even more so than the rest of class 1 who are watching. "_sigh, _if you do indeed mean those words then... then stop fidgeting!" She orders like an instructor.

"Hai!" She steps or rather, stood straight, just like the old days.

"Don't stutter as well, now, I will take you as my student once again."

"Ah." Laura smiles at that while Chifuyu walks a pace around. This will be just like the old days.

"But, lay even a hint that you're up to something, make sure you're no longer within the academy grounds for hours before I catch you doing something."

"Hai, understood!"

"Well then, all of you will be returning to Germany, I'll take Bodewig with me."

"Hai, arigatou-gozaimasu!" They all saluted altogether, then bow altogether, leaving their countrywoman Laura at the hands of Chifuyu as they take a step back, then march forward, just as their symbol of honor as german soldiers would be devoted for them to do.

"Sa, Bodewig, let's go, there are some application forms you'll have to sign."

...End of Flashback...

"After that Laura, hm." Ichika ponders for a while, it seems Laura will be attending here in IS academy, interesting actually, with all the nation... okay, not all nations from different country are here, there's Cecilia from England, then there's Rin from China, then there's Charles- Charlotte from France, and then there's Laura now who is from Germany, now who's next for the line of being another representative candidate? "_sigh._" While thinking this, Ichika cannot help that something big might happen again anytime soon, Charlotte has visited countless times by now, giving him some food, mostly fruits as the doctor, no, nurse advised too, well, not like there was any... well, in this isolated island of IS academy, there are hardly enough supplies to treat someone who needs medical attention, not the most serious ones anyways, and IS academy itself isn't an hospital or medical facility, well, the infirmary certainly has its uses, but that's about it, the rest of those sickness or medical treatment are treated in real hospitals and not on institute like this, this is just an institute for IS manueverers afterall. "Ah, oh well, I guess I'll rest up." This soft pillow is more than like a temptation for anyone to just lie here and don't stand up, it's too tempting for that matter, specially... _squeeze. squeeze. _"Huh?" Something soft and squishy. "What's this? Do I have something on my bed?" Hm, it's too tempting too, without really thinking clearly, he holds it tight then begun to hug something like a petite figure in this bed.

"Hm."

"Huh?" Now that's odd, that sounded like a girly voice compare to his, well, not like... wait, earlier this evening...

...At the entrance of IS academy...

"Ah... Ah." Ichika is being supported by Nohohon-san and another girl as they try to carry him to the academy, he's completely deprived of energy and he cannot even seem to conprehend... no, he knows where he is except his expression seems to suggest something like that is lacking of spirit, cheerful spirit, enthuastic spirit and many more, this expression of Ichika is more like someone who has lost all hope but that is just an expression.

"Orimura-kun, hang in there, someone prepare a bed at the infirmary."

"Hai, be right up."

"Hang in there Orimu."

"Ah, Ah~" That's all he could say since he doesn't even have the energy to speak as well.

"Wait!" Someone stood in front, in an IS suit.

"Huh?" Everyone turns forward to see... Laura.

"Huh...~?" Ichika turns to her groggily, his face is deprived of any cheerfulness so it's kinda playing rude for a guy to be groggy, he's not at fault of course. "What are you-" _grab. _"Guah~" He got grabbed.

"O-Orimu!"

"Orimura-kun! Hey, what are you-"

"You'll be my bride! And I won't take any objections!"

"..."

"..." The sound of butterfly is the only thing that is echoing as well as the gentle breeze.

"Ehh!" Everyone in class 1 said that.

"...Uh... Huh?" While still groggy, Ichika still spouted that.

...And then later... in a shower...

"Ah." A groggy Ichika showers alone as the male shower room is... well frankly it's reserved only for him, given that he's the only guy around and then... after soaking himself with some warm water, which is decreasing the fatigue to some degree, he grabs for the soap, only not to find it at its usual place. "Huh?" He turns to it but he does not see it. "What the... where the heck... Gurgh!" Someone rubs, or scrub his back. "Argh, argh... ah." It feels comfortable.

"Does it feel good, bride?"

"Ah, it feels... huh?" Despite all the comfortable feeling, his etching feeling tells him that something is amidst. "..." Turning around like his head is that of a doll. "Uh... L... Laura."

"Don't turn this way, it'll be pretty rude while I'm scrubbing you that-"

"Noo-!"

...Then at the storage...

"Ah, I really need... to put this thing... away... for now." He's about to put some stuff away for the upgrades of Byakushiki, he has done this with the help of Cecilia and Rin who constantly offer him some new upgrades for Byakushiki's thrusters as well as the Yukihira type 2 to be much more igniting that usual, then when he was about to put all the things away.

"That's not good bride, here, let me put that away from you." Someone appeared from below.

"Ah, sure, I... Huh?" Looking down. "L-Laura..."

"Hello, bride."

"...Ah... Noo-!"

Anyway, after all that... after all those crazy events or turn of events, Ichika finds himself very exhausted even more so...

"..." Something in Ichika's mind strike a bell as he got a premonition of who exactly is this lying before him... or lying with him on this bed of 1025. He quickly got up and flipped the blanket open. "L-Laura!" A thoroughly naked Laura is seen, she is... dazzling, white skine, smooth to the texture, beautiful silver hair... by the way, it's just about 12:05 in the morning and they are sleeping together in this room that is filled with appliances from the infirmary, though given the current situation, it would seem that Ichika has at least gathered enough energy.

"Mm, is it morning already?" She said getting up, which frightens Ichika as she is thoroughly naked, which means... well, just like what it is implying, naked, as in no clothes, no bras, no panties and... what else can say? Well... nah, not those, not those huge... breasts, squishy and... no, no, no, no-! Too indecent.

"Since when did you get here? Guah, baka, baka, baka, don't show them to me!" Ichika said covering his eyes in horror, well, not really horror but from embarrassment.

"...You are acting strangely, spouses are not supposed to be hiding anything from their partnes, so it's okay for you..."

"Hey, don't show that!" He prevents her from removing the blanket, which...

"Guah, that was... sudden."

"Eh?" He touched her... that is on her hips, her... "...guah... ha ha... guaah!" The Hysteria Zero Syndrome would certainly rise up from this, but given that it's already been deprived too much, it doesn't, and right now Ichika cannot rely on it for help as it is... well, right now unavailable for help, sort to speak. "You... A-Anyway, put some clothes on, I can't be seen with you!"

"Why? Aren't spouses suppose to be..." Looking at Laura, she has a doll like appearance that is mesmerizing, she hasn't been this way for a while, well, considering during the demonstration that Ichika only sees her in her usual glaring expression, now her true self has emerged and she's... well, beautiful and cute, all the same, as it should be, no one should be deprived of happiness like that, well, right now well... "...and like that." She just finished something like a familiar scene in a shojo manga where the girl confesses her love for the guy they love and they would then have sex together like...

"Hey, who told all of these rubbish to you?"

"Hm?"

"Gr," She doesn't understand, it's useless. Anyway, now that Ichika is fully awake at this sight, now what's going to happen? He remains in his position still with that appliance that is still attached to his mouth still on him. He can't remove it because... well, he needs something that can support the breathing system, make no mistake, he just need some recuperation, not nervous lung support system kind of way in which he needs surgery in order to recuperate. Well, right now though, the blood vessels are quite arising, but not the hysteria zero syndrome this time, it's on vacation sort the least.

"Wh-Why are you staring at me like that? Stop that, I'll get embarrassed."

"..." Liar dead ahead, but her posture for being embarrassed is really cute. "..." Ichika could have swear right now that the other Ichika would rise up now from its slumber and take care of this, but... thinking of something that guy would say, Ichika turns around and ponder, much to Laura's cute curiousity.

"Why are you staring the other way? Come on, face this way and..." Right before Laura could force him to turn to her direction...

"Laura." He said trying to act like the other guy, other Ichika that is.

"Hai?"

"I like dignified, elegant girls."

"Oh." She said that like it was just nothing. "But that's just what you like right? You really meant something like..."

"..." Failure, she didn't get it. "Ah." He falls back to the pillow with appliance on his mouth still on.

"Hm? Oh, are you still sleepy? Me too, well, let's go back to sleep now, bride." She said covering herself up again and heading back to sleep.

"..." He can't sleep, he can't sleep like this, he cannot- HE DARE NOT-! With that, he rises up again and removes the blanket. "Laura."

"Hm? Oh, you're removing my blanket? Why are you-"

"Listen to me Laura, I..." Without much avail, he thinks of something that he would say while in Zero mode, that would be something like that can either make a girl... well, scary away if possible but... he doubts the other Ichika would do that, so to make this a reasonable atmosphere. "Laura."

"Hai?"

"I cannot sleep well in my condition of being... sick, so you best not stay near me before you caught my flu." He doesn't really have a flu, just something that he is lacking of energy that it's making him sleep for at least a week, but now he needs at least two weeks, it doesn't matter, the next courses of days will be break, there will be series of days where there will be no classes and Ichika is free to visit the Gotanda Eatery to visit some old acquiantances, as well as some delicious ramen and whatever delicious food that Ran could make, come to think of it, he's planning to go there after the bonfire party tonight that wilbe held at campus, but that aside...

"Oh, you are sick."

"Hmhm," Ichika nods earnestly. "Sa, you better-"

"In that case,"

"Hm? W-Whoa! Guh!" This is more worse than before, she's ontop of him, naked! Naked you can tell! "Guah, wh-what are you doing!"

"The only way to remove the heat from one's body is I heard to get contact with another."

"Eh?" That's one way of putting it out but... "Wh- No, don't do that, I-"

"Sa, here I-"

"Nooo-!" The appliance on his mouth disengage due to his scream, this is gonna take a while, then _wham, wham, wham. _Laura is moving forth her body in a curve line to Ichika, making their bodies... well, if one can close the curtain, this is a private matter now, room 1025 is now officially private for the rest of the night. With one echoe of... "Noooo-! Guah, guah!"

"Don't move, here, let us make it come out..."

"H-Hey, not there! Not there-!"

...The morning, at the halls...

"..." A really groggy Ichika walks down towards the hall, he's very very fatigued considering all the events that took place so far, him being on the same bed of the German representative and then there were those crazy events before then, he is really like a walking zombie right now due to his eyes sort of blackish due to him lacking some sleep it seems. "_yaawn._" Not even a yawn is enough to fill in some energy supply it seems.

"Ah, Orimura-kun, may I have a word with you?" Yamada's voice.

"Huh?" He turns around with that very groggy face. "Yamada-sensei, what is it?"

"Well, as class representative of class 1, you are the honorary host for tonight's bonfire party tonight, so please, Orimura-sensei would like you to be respectful looking and... and..." She stutters in between words and information.

"Ah." Ichika knows about this, he has to dressed in a tuxedo as in to prepare at the host of this so-called party, it's a bonfire night to remember, meaning everyone will be involved. "Hm?" Come to think of it, if Charlotte will be in, does this mean...? "..." Ichika remembers something.

...Flashback...

Ichika is at his room with appliances from the infirmary all around him, all over his body to be precise, Charlotte is sitting beside him on the bed. "Um, Ichika...?" This was just a temporary... no, it should be now, as in tonight bonfire party...

"Hm? Yes?" Ichika asked with something on his mouth.

"Uh well, I already told you that I need to do something about situation right? Well, I decided to... I decided to..."

"Decided to what?"

"I decided to... I..." Thinking... _throb, throb. _"I will..."

"...?"

"..." Ponder... ponder... ponder... "I will..." Then images of Ichika and her on the sunset staring at each other at the hall. "I'm going to reveal that I'm a woman."

"Eh?"

End of flashback

Was she serious? She's going to... reveal everyone that... "A-Anyway Orimura-kun, please come with us to the faculty room to... uh..."

"..." Right, for proper dress up attirement, well, maybe a two tuxedos of white and black will be his choosing but...

...At the facutly...

"Ah." Ichika stares at the mirror, with Chifuyu testing out the tuxedos presented, there is more than one actually, a brown, a white, a black and... well, all sort of colors that are proper for a tuxedo.

"Hm, not this one, not this one, this one is just like your school uniform." Chifuyu said as she and Yamada discussed about the attire while Ichika would just stare groggily at the mirror with him being reflected on it, the white was certainly like the same as Ichika's school uniform, heck, is that even a tuxedo? It doesn't a tie anyway and... and... It's the exact school uniform! Oh well, it doesn't matter, he's fine with that actually.

"Oh, how about this?"

"Eh?" Yamada presents something like a cosplay armor of something like people wear in a fantasy world wherein future technology reigns and people living in the galaxy in many planets and spaceships are common, like this armor of that of commander.

"Ah." Ichika wears it, it has a blue cape too, which is making him look like a prince figure. "..." Though his mind is pretty groggy at the moment to think or ponder about that.

"Wa, it looks good."

"Hm, it looks good, but Yamada, you got this from one that erotic manga you confiscated from the girls right? What was that? Something called Galaxy troopers or galaxy tropers or something." Chifuyu said recalling the pile or set of manga these girls in the academy has.

"Wha- I-I didn't- I don't read those."

'Yeah right.' Chifuyu thought. "Anyway, since there are no objections on that, I guess you'll wear that Ichika, prepare yourself."

"Hai. _sigh._" By the way, there are no classes right now and since the teachers are quite on a party tonight, it's okay to refer to each other like family, just like Chifuyu just referred to her younger brother by his first name and him calling her Chifuyu-nee wouldn't be bad as well. "So, when do I...?"

"Everyone is still preparing outside, the bonfire hasn't been lit so you better just stay put for a while, you haven't fully recovered right?"

"Hai."

"Sa, go back to your room and fill in some supplies of medical treatment for you."

"Ah no, that's not necessary."

"Why is that?"

"Uh..." Two reasons: One, he just need some rest as far as he can tell, the other... there is another one in his room who is not allowed there, so the second reason... Second: Laura is still there, probably. Naked as well, and if anyone sees her... there will be unknown consequences so best not allow that. "I just... need to rest."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai."

"Hm, very well, I'll take up your word on that, ja, dismiss, you can go now."

"Hai."

...Meanwhile, outside, three people are line up. These are Houki, Rin and Cecilia. "Hm." They are all in dilemma, Ichika just exited the faculty office.

"I-Ichika will be the host, and I better..." Regarding who take the last dance in the bonfire, Ichika will be the host in which he will be the dance partner of whoever wear the most beautiful dress as well as the most beautiful looking student. Wonder who could perform such a feat? Houki doesn't consider herself much attractive due to... due to... well, complicated reasons, one, she's onto kendo, second, she gets angry pretty quickly, third... well, she's shy and doesn't seem to have the guts to do it. "But I... But I..." Clenching her fist.

"Ichika, hm, I wonder what kind of dress would be attractive." Rin's petite body is certainly attractive and her twin tails too for that matter, her attitude and way of moving can certainly be dazzling to anyone to that of brightness and cheerfulness, something most guys would like to hang out with. Well, that and her upbeat personality can be described as cute as well as boastful and bossy.

"Ichika-san, hm, Japanese style is something that is not yet accustomed to me." The three ponder on what kind of dress to wear tonight.

...Meanwhile, at room of Charlotte... and a certain someone

"Hm? That's weird?" What is weird is that her roommate, whose bed remains untouched, was supposed to be use, and no, it's not like that roommate left or something but it's that it was never used. "Oh well." It's already morning so it has little matter in the matter, but right now, Charlotte stares at the mirror, she can't keep her gender a secret forever. "Hm, I must..." Staring at the yellowish dress that is prepared for her, secretly, by those resistance in France or those who are trying to rebuild the Dunois corp at the moment. "I must... with Ichika..." She dreams of something like in the middle of the bonfire on the campus later tonight, there will be two people standing on the middle, it's her and Ichika and they... dance... melodramatically and... lovely and then... the main event of... of... a...ki... ki.. kis... "Uwa, no, I can't just... everyone is..." She blushes at the thought of that. Everyone will be watching afterall, whoever it is who is branded as the most beautiful, well-dressed student in campus will have a dance with the only male in campus as well as the only male in those who can use IS and the one will be chosen will have the last dance. "Uwa, uwa, I can't... I can't... keep my posture, I must... calm down, Charlotte... you're... you're..." Two chibi Charles appear and dance merrily while holding out each other's finger tips and keep saying like... 'The night of love festival. The night of love festival. The night of love festival.' and there are some background heart shapes all around them as they dance. "Uwa, this is... this is..."

...Meanwhile, at 1025

"_Sigh, _bonfire festival huh?" This is like an halloween party except that it involves dancing on the bonfire at the field, it will be like something to remember by in one's life in school and something like this is where couples are borned, though that is just superstition, or not, many wishes are available, but in this case, in all IS academy's students, they are all girls, which means... the chance of being born a couple... is low, very low. Absolute 0 in fact, or is it... nah, best not rely on such symbols of numbers, or one will have a brain headache of sort, Ichika feels like his brain is like cycling part of a vehicle whenever he enters into Zero mode so he knows that feels. "_gulp,_ I'm going to dance with someone at the bonfire dance... ah." He feels nervous about that, he knows this is just like proposing to someone but... hey, this is just a friendly dance right? Like something you are oblidge to do? Well, that's what he thinks anyway. "Oh well." The other guy, the other Ichika, won't be arising soon since he's on vacation, sort to speak, and Ichika needs to find someway to deal with this.

...At Charlotte's room and a certain someone...

"..." Charlotte just put on her yellowish, attractive dress, her hair is now longer than before as in this posture, she looks more beautiful, a princess in fact, or a goddess. "..." Taking a deep breath. "I can do this, if I'm... if I'm with Ichika." Remembering their promise on that sunset, she mustered enough courage to go through with this.

...Later, at the field...

"Yosh, now, one, two... fire!" Nohohon-san and her friends are helping with the preparation of the dance. One of her friends fire an arrow with a flaming paper on it towards the pile of woods and stuff on the middle, igniting the bonfire background for this dance, it lits brightly like that of a new year.

"Wow."

"Alright!"

"Yaay!" Everyone cheers, preparation is under way and all students are eager to get dressed up, well, except...

"..." Ichika sits at the side in a grogging manner in which his face tells so, he constantly falls off his head but then he rised it up again, and again, and again, countless times now since this restless morning and that Laura... wonder where she is? Ichika concluded that she may be around, probably waiting for the right opportunity to touch his body there and there and there... heck, if this continues she won't be no longer be... well, she'll be incorrigible if she goes on like this... it's madness! Madness Ichika can tell! Why? Because that kind of sexual interraction is just too explicit for their age, well, Ichika is now under the age of... no, no, no, no more discussion about this stuff, it's just too much of a mental burden. "_sigh._" Ichika lowers his head as the figure of Chifuyu and Yamada enter the stage upfront, Ichika and the rest are eager, well, except Ichika who is looking down on the ground of sand while the others are eager, everyone is eager to listen to the opening session of this occasion.

"Well then, as you know, this is just one of our occasion where we will celebrate why IS users are born into this world," Chifuyu started. "But, this is also one lifetime opportunity for you young people to experience your lifetime experience of enjoying yourselves, so thank us instructors for this opportunity for you to handle on your own accord." That was sort of cold speech, well, to Ichika anyway.

"Yaayy! Onee-sama!" While the rest are simply ecstatic about these, they're young and bright, most women are like that.

"Now then, as you know, Orimura Ichika will be the host for this bonfire party, bring him upfront here."

"Haayy!"

"Ah." The host in this party reluctantly stood up for two reasons: one, he's not yet in a condition to be energetic like the rest of the girls here, and second, he's being called for central attention, again.

"Orimura-kun, over here."

"Yeah, everyone is waiting for you upfront."

"Come on, come on."

"Hai, hai." He said gently passing through and the girls making sure he doesn't fall due to his groggy situation, he climbs up the stage.

"Well then, all of you will be showing off if you guys have all the desire and the right to be his dance partner tonight."

"Gyaah!"

"A dance with Orimura-kun!"

"We all have the chance!"

"Ah." Ichika feels more bewildered as he is once again, the central of attention, he doesn't like this, he wished Chifuyu didn't have to mention that.

"Silence! I'm not done yet, now, I want you all on your proper attire by 7, after that, all of you are to gather here for this party."

"Gyaah!"

"Kyaah!" Everyone couldn't contain their excitement as Chifuyu continued.

"Ah." And Ichika himself better be ready.

"Haha, everyone is eager, huh Orimura-kun?" Yamada asked, she just handed the right tuxedo for Ichika, it's a black one, that cosplay one is pretty too attractive, too damn attractive in fact, that someone might just laugh at you, Ichika protested at this earlier at the faculty office.

"Ah, they are."

"Hmhm, well then, you better get dressed up as well."

"Hai."

...In a nearby locker...

"_sigh,_" With the tuxedo in hand, Ichika prepares to change. "Hm?" Come to think of, there's supposed to be Charlotte, who is disguised as a male still, should be here right? Where is she? "I wonder where..."

"Ichika?" The voice of someone familiar.

"Huh? Char... lotte...?" She comes out of the side and... "Ah." Beautiful, simply beautiful. She's dressed in a dress that is yellowish, reflecting that of her hair, which is making her like a light of a goddess and many many ways of describing her beauty. "Ah." Ichika is speechless.

"I-Ichika..."

"Charlotte, what are you...?"

"I'm planning to... I'm planning to..." She looks down.

"Charlotte?"

"I'm planning to... I'm planning to reveal my gender tonight."

"Eh?" The sound and light of the bonfire reflected around the campus, it seems there are some who remained outside and set up the occasion's setting here, there will dinning tables, some food, which are all for dessert, then some balloons, is this supposed to be like a birthday party? Most likely not. And then some more decorations and women dressed in dresses and Ichika... being at the center of the bonfire. "..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

...Later, at the field.

"..." The party has started and Ichika is still puzzled about what Charlotte said, is she serious? Going to confess to everyone her secret in front of everyone? That's... way to gutsy. And... well...

"Um, everyone, uh, I know this is so sudden but... um, Dunois-san has something to say." Yamada said in front, she's also dressed in a dress now and she announced something Ichika has been expecting. Everyone stops at what they are doing and turns upstage.

"Huh?"

"Who...?"

"She's beautiful..."

"Wow, she's like an angel and..."

Charlotte stood upfront in the stage on the podium where Yamada was. "Everyone, arigatou, I appreciate all of you listening to me, the truth is... the truth is..."

"..." Ichika swallows his saliva, this is it, the moment of truth... the moment of truth... the moment of truth... "..." Sweating, sweating...

"I am actually... I am actually..."

"Wait, isn't Charles-kun? Why is she... or wait, why is He dressed like that?"

"I don't know." Everyone wonders.

"..." Ichika waits for the most heartthrobbing words.

"I am actually... I am actually a girl, my real name is Charlotte Dunois, nice to meet you all." She smiles at them like a goddess smiling down on her people.

"O..."

"Ah."

Everyone is speechless.

"Ha ha, sorry I didn't... told you before..." Charlotte said stuttering.

"Um, okay, that's enough now um... C-Charlotte-san and... oh, I mean uh Dunois-san and... ha ha." Yamada is stuttering as well.

"Eh? Wh... She's... a girl?"

"Wow, I didn't noticed at first."

"So that's why she looks beautiful." Everyone said.

"..." Ichika could only sit near the bonfire, the sweat is not just coming from the heat but from nervousness as well.

"Hey, wait, didn't Orimura-kun specifically vouch for her when she entered into the academy?"

"..." Ichika sweats more, it's definitely not coming from the bonfire's heat, but from nervousness.

"Did he know that she was a girl but kept it from us?"

"Huh? No way but..."

"Ichika!" A voice called out.

"Eh?"

"Hm?" Ichika and the rest of the girls turn to that, it's Rin in a white dress running towards Ichika, she grabs Ichika by his collar.

"Wa, R-Rin."

"What's the meaning of this? You've known she was a girl but you kept it from us?"

"That's right Ichika-san, why didn't you inform us of this?" Then Cecilia in a dress.

"Ichika, you bastard." Houki sneers.

"Hey, come on, I didn't just- Guaah!" Ichika tries to explain but Rin suddenly deployed the Shenlong.

"You cheating bastard, why did you-" She deploys the Ryuhow which is charging particles...

"Ah." Ichika knows that the other Ichika can't help him in this situation, but hey, maybe a wish can do right? "Ah." 'Someone... save me, and...'

"Ichikaa-!" _charging..._ Charging up...

"Uwa." 'I'll be dead.' _boom! boom! _And that was it, no more blasted pieces are... wait, this is real right? Ichika can still feel his breathing as well as his other senses. 'Eh? I'm still alive.' Looking, or opening his eyes, he sees that Laura, with the Schwarzer Regen deployed, took Ichika from Rin's grasp. "Huh?" He looks around while the rest stares were focused on him. "Wha... hey, you... your IS is repaired?" Since last time battle, the Schwarzer Regen was quite damaged due to its armaments being severely disarmed from its parts and some squeeshing sound can be heard as it operated last time.

"Luckily the core didn't got damaged so it only needed some backup parts." She said not letting go of him.

"Oh, I see, then... byukku!"

_chu. _"...!"

"Hm...!"

"Wa...!"

"Guah...!"

"Wha-Wha- Hmhmgnh." Ichika could feel something sweet lips of someone, it's Laura's. What's going on here? Did something like a dream field got activated? Or is this an hallucination of the Z.E.R.O. programming affecting his mentality? ...No, this is real. It's the first time he got kissed except of him doing the kissing. He does this whenever he is in Zero mode. "Hmmnghh- Guah!"

"Y-You'll be my bride and I will take no exception, you got it!" Said a blushing Laura.

"Eh? I'm not the groom?" Normally it's the guys who are entitled as the groom in a marriage.

"I-I heard this how Japanese would go their way in proposing and accepting someone as their spouse."

"..." Who told her such thing? Some crazy Japanese learning fanatic? Or... maybe she just misunderstood things from her own country? Amidst all this wondering, there are a lot of stuttering people like...

"Y-You..." Rin and the others are in awe. "Y-You bastarrrdd-!" The Souten Gagetsu is deployed and the Ryuhow is charging up again.

"Hm? H-Hey, I'm a victim here too you know!" Normally, when a guy got kissed by a cute silver girl, doll like face and well... anyway, Ichika didn't enter into Zero mode despite the troubling situation.

"It's all your fault! All of it! Your fault!"

"Wh-Whoa, hey!" She just throwed the Souten Gagetsu towards his directio and he ducked for cover.

"Hmph!" _clash! _Laura shoved the weapon away.

"G-Geez, that was dangerous! Huh?" Ichika turns to the other two girls in front of him.

"Ichika-san, how dare you..."

"Ichika..." It's Rin and Houki.

"H-Hey, calm down will you..."

"Ichika... you cheating, weak bastard."

"Ohohoho..." Both IS deployed, the other is not a personal one as Houki is not a personal IS user. Both girls are on a trance of... of... murder and... vengeance. "Hiyahahahaha!" Both laugh hysterically and the situation becomes dangerous. _tsiign, bhewwing-! _

"Whoa!" _boom, boom! _

"Gyaah!"

"Uwaah!" The bonfire background has exploded, spreading forth all sort of sparks and splinters all over the place, this party has become chaos, chaos you can say! Run for it! Speaking of run for it...

"Y-Yabe..." Ichika tries to pass through the running crowd. _Tssantcht! _"Guah!" A sword is stabbed in front of him, it belongs to a kendo club member. "Uh..." Turning around... "H-Houki..."

"Ichika, how do you intend to explain?"

"I'm the one who wants an explanation, wh-whoa!" He got dragged away by some of the passing people but... Someone catched him. "Huh?" Turning his head to the one who catched him, it's a goddess... charlotte... "..."

"...Ichika."

"Wh-What?"

"Why did you kiss a girl in front of me like that?" She asked that with a low tone and she seems to be on a mode of... destructive and anger, well... compare to the sweet gentle, Charlotte, she seems to be the angel of death or something... "Wahaha." A wicked smile... of horror.

"Uh, Charlotte? I was kissed and I didn't do it on purpose, and... by the way, why are you deploying your IS?"

"Why?" The bread slicer is deployed, this is... this is...

"Wa... ha ha... ha ha..." Laugh along the borders of the River of Styx, and then float there along with all the unfortunate souls who merely laugh once they reach their limit, and right now, the path to the underworld has just open up, with the name Orimura Ichika on the entrance, like they're welcoming him, and a bunch of girls, including Houki, Rin, Cecilia and then Charlotte being at the side, picking up pitchfork that they are using like a entrance ceremony to welcome a guest to the underworld, in order for... for... for dinner... and... "Gyaah-!" _boom, boom! _

"Ichika, explain yourself!"

"Ichika, you weak bastard!"

"It would be troublesome if you injured my bride."

"H-Hey, don't add more spice into this!"

"Ichika!"

"Orimura-kuun!"

"W-Waah!" And that's how it ends, like the bonfire worn out, and so did the snuff of life... well, not death but... well... what else can say? Like a bonfire that poop, it's now an empty, and ruined state, of a party in here, with the victor of the dance goes to Laura since she's the one... well, Ichika is her bride as she put it, and that's how it ended... in an awkward way.

End of Chapter 9

**Note: Okay, since Ichika has now kissed all the heroines, it's now time for the main antagonists to show themselves, in the following chapter after this, it will be now focusing on the Silver Gospel incident and right afterwards, the battle with the Phantom Task, I'm a little busy here, but I'll update if I can, well, goodbye.**

...


	10. Chapter 10

**Midnight Stars of Giving Wish**

**Note: As the story progresses from here, things are bound to get serious, like the introduction of the Phantom Task, and then the main antagonist, you will see it as a sort of referrence of FF7, you will see once you read, well, enjoy.**

**Chapter 10: The Awakening of Evil**

...IS academy...

Almost two or three months have passed ever since Ichika has transferred to IS academy, since then, there has been nothing but surprises around the academy's borders, almost like it's a dreamland or something, many girls, such as Houki, Rin, Cecilia, Charlotte and Laura were able to at least cope up with what has transpired in their past and are now ready to embrace the future, but of course, as long as there is something out there such as humans, there will always be struggle, but it will a worthy struggle as people grow and developed, the evolution proceeds on and on about its course, and as human develop, there is something that can occupy people's thoughts such as... "Huh? Class trip?" Ichika asked while being surrounded by the five representative candidates in his desk.

"Hm? I hear it's going to be at my homecountry, oh the beloved England." Cecilia said remembering probably her time before she came here, well naturally, she can go there whenever she wishes, though that would only be during break time as Summer is now approaching, IS academy students are going on a class trip to London to see... well, sight seing for one, the other is of course, culture learning, or something like that, it would be quite an experience.

"London, huh." Ichika said with both of his arms being rest upon by his chin on his desk. "You know that place right Cecilia?"

"Yup, if you want Ichika-san, I can show you there as your tour guide."

"No, as my bride, I have a priviledge to look after you, not you." She said those wrong... well, no matter, she said those words directly to Cecilia.

"Oh, Laura-san, are you sure you know London well? Cause I heard Germans never go there."

"Ah... that's..." Caught in the act, or a weakness is exposed, it's been almost like this in their stay here in IS academy, with Ichika being their main target of affection, the five representative candidate... no, wait, Houki is not so best leave her out of this, as Ichika ponders about things, like how he will handle the pressure once he go there, he decided that he'll leave things to the other guy, the other Ichika that is. He just have to make sure that there is enough energy for him to spend there and let himself not be embarrassed by whatever happens there, and that other guy would probably beneficial at that sort of thing, as Ichika know that too well. "A-Anyway, as my bride, I..."

"You know Laura, we can all go together." Charlotte interjected as a mediator, she has now revealed her true identity to the academy and nothing much changed since that day at that bonfire party, which became like a tremendous chaotic event that eventually led to something... well, the entire campus was in carnage after... well, suffice to say that a war between Ichika and the five girls that were present there, Laura was certainly like a neutral party since she was not in either way at Ichika's side, Cecilia, Rin, Houki and Charlotte were at his throat, personal IS were deployed and whatever happened next, loud explosion, tremor and violent impact have shaken the entire campus, if words can put it.

"But, Charlotte, you know we..."

"Come on, we can all go right? Oh speaking of which Ichika, are you planning to go to town later?"

"Huh? Oh, uh yeah, wanna come?"

"Oh yes, I..."

"..."

"..." The others watch as Ichika and Charlotte have a lively conversation, among all five of them, it seems Ichika is mostly comfortably speaking with Charlotte from time to time, due to perhaps her gentle nature and her tendency to be too attractive whenever she fidgets around him and sometimes chibi versions of herself would dance around cutely around her head, though of course, only she knows that. The others watch their conversation.

"That Charlotte... taking on the initiative." Rin said like analyzing something like the coordinates of a missile about to launch and aim directly at the enemy tanks or squadrons that will most likely take the flag and won.

"Ichika, you're too comfortable around her." Houki thought.

"Damn, bride you're too much of an exposure for me, did Charlotte put you under her charm or something?" Laura thought.

"Mrr, Ichika-san, you're too fixated with Charlotte, what does she have that we don't?" Everyone else seem to have that line of thinking.

"Well then, I'll meet you there." Charlotte bid farewell as Charlotte left the classroom happily with the appointed schedule of meeting Ichika at the station.

"..." The other girls see her off with a rather intense, sharp glare towards...

"Sa te, I better-"

"Ichika." "Ichika-san." They all said unison placing a hand on him all over him.

"What does Charlotte have?"

"Does she have the beauty?"

"Does she have the initiative?"

"Do she has hold over you?"

"Huh?" Continuous questions of unreasonable explanation, well, this is enough to bombard something into him. "Wh-What are you all... asking all of the sudden?"

"Just answer us." They all said unison which made him uncomfortable.

"You've been fixated with her Ichika, don't you have other schedules? You also been slacking off in our training." Houki said.

"Eh?"

"That's not fair Houki-san, you always bring him into sword fight, there are some line projectiles that no sword can deflect you know." Cecilia added to the training stipulation.

"M-My training requires diligence and reflex, so it's enough to cover up the entire training regimen." Well mostly, those who are excel in using swordmanship can deflect bullet projectiles, Ichika has demonstrated this once when he's in his Zero mode in which whenever he pilots Byakushiki in this mode, the Z.E.R.O. programming will be inserted if necessary, making reaction time almost obsolete to the point that the pilot just have to react on almost... well, reflex and there is no time for decision making as the pilot's emotion and psyche are inserted into the programming, as well as Byakushiki, the absolute victory is in hand.

"Oh, ja, how about we increase the output of the training regimen? This time we..." Rin suggested something more...

"Ah." Which Ichika finds more tiring, well, in this case. "Hm," He thought of unleashing the other guy, he has developed an habit to activate on his own, it seems it can be activated through sheer will and allowing yourself to be on something like a trance that will take care of other sort of flaws in the mind and then have yourself in a... well, not like you're becoming a maniac or something, but it will only increase Ichika's confidence as well as his own reflex. But that aside, Ichika does admit that the other guy helps in tight situations such as... well, extreme situations where one's well-being is on the line, well, that and many other more. Casting that aside, while the girls discuss about their training regimen later tonight, Ichika took the opportunity to leave before they noticed but... _pat. _"Ah." Laura's hand on his shoulder. He's been spotted.

"Where are you going bride? Don't we have to spend another time in your room?"

"..." One must watch one's own words, those seem to have attracted the attention of everyone in the room.

"What?" The other three girls asked.

"Oh uh..." Checking the time, which is on a computer clock like the rest of things here in IS academy, Ichika decided he has to leave. "Ah sorry, gotta go, bye!"

"H-Hey, Ichika!"

"Ichika-san!"

"Ichika!"

"Bride, you traitor!"

...At the hall...

"_sigh, _so tiring, hm, I guess I better go visit Charlotte at the station like we promised, hm. Hm," While thinking of his schedule, _traamck._ "Hm?" He stepped onto something, a letter enveloped. "Huh? This is?" He picks it up, is this a love letter or something? If so... wait, there are only girls here in IS academy except him, which means... "..." Not really wanting to pry on private affairs, Ichika rips it open, because there is something funny about this letter. "Hm?" Opening and grabbing the paper inside. "This is..."

"When one's eyes are shut is when the darkness lingers in, and when one's volition is used, everything can be revealed and when the time as come, the Heaven's Dark Harbinger will come." That's what the letter says.

"...? Huh?" Cryptic words, and this "Heaven's Dark Harbinger" thing seems to be somewhat... unorthodox as is there something like a meteor coming out of the sky? "What does this mean?"

...Meanwhile, in an underground military facility...

_bang, boom, bang, boom! _All sort of firepower are heard in this dark hall of a organization building, this is a building reserved for an organization that is willing to bring down the entire society of Japan and is willing to take control of the world economy as well as the system that runs it, why? Well, a lot of reasons, world domination, hatred, revenge for a certain someone and most importantly... and most deadly of all, insanity, the people here are deranged as one may put it, so deranged that they ever focus on life was to train harder again, and again, until they are extinguished of life and never see the light of day until they are ready to fight. "Get to your posts, put your backs into it if you wish to be filled with blood on your baths tonight, and let those who suffer your wrath, suffer your own blood!" One leader, Squall Meusel, exclaimed as she passed by on the hall with two trusted hand of hers, and no, not her body parts or something, but... it's their position as her left and right hand, again, not her exact body part but they are individual.

"..."

"..." Autumn and M are just walking by the hall, not minding all the loud ruckus in here, this organization is dedicated in eradicating all sort of weak forms in this world, those who are using IS for saving people, which they deem as a weak cause and that those who has IS are wasting their inventions on useless stuff such as making name for themselves or just showing off, according to Squall, and that they would make those who are blind to see what is like to feel reality in using IS.

"Ha ha, so M, how's your progress so far?"

"Aptitude at its fullest, surviving instinct durable and flight armament very extensive." She said like almost completely in a robot manner like she's just oblidge to follow every order, this girl resembles the face of the champion of the Mondo Grosso, the IS tournament, and she's almost the exact opposite of that champion who has now retire. One thing about this girl is that she's a sadist when it comes to putting fear into her own well-being, which is making her more deranged than any of the members here.

"And autumn darling, how fares your treatmen on our luxurious room?"

The other girl blushes at her question. "C-Corridor is cleanest at white and the bed is all fluffy and all that remains are..."

"Ah yes, tonight we will enjoy ourselves in the evening."

She blushes more at that while M merely scoff. "Hm," She then remembers something important about adjusting her IS which is named the Silent Zephyrs, this is a third generation IS that is a prototype of the blue tears of Cecilia Alcott, the representative candidate of England, although one thing is amidst its system compare to that of its orginal design, it is equiped with something like a Reversal Zero Input that allows the pilot to become very reflexive to the point that they surpass the normal thinking of a decision making and make them very unresponsive as they don't need to be as the system takes care of all unnecessary illogical thinking with one fault... While the system gives off something like a stimuli to a pilot that allows them to become almost like a perfect warrior to achieve total victory, its psychological effects which are being caused by brain waves being like scaffold in order to raise the pilot's awareness of things, the pilot can become deranged as a result and would cause them even their lives, unlike most IS users who only give stimuli to their IS through imagination, the IS with the Reversal Zero Input give stimuli to the pilot themselves and when there is no specific goal in mind, the system will give off various delusional images that can drive the user insane to the point that they won't be able to recognize who is a friend and foe, thus, they are becoming like crazed pilots who loose themselves into battle and would not stop even if their deaths are permanent. M is one of those pilot who receive dosage of medical drugs in order to calm herself, though the usage of such drugs is also quite... harmful as M felt like her veins becoming twisted and as a result, her psychological state is becoming quite unstable as well, not only her physical body. "..." She does endure it, even though... even though... death... is certain.

...In a room, somewhere inside the military underground base...

A letter is being typed on the screen with the name J.E.H.O.V.A.H on it, the title of an operation called "World Purge" is being updated like all the biological life forms on the planet are being counted for and something like an accumulated data is being gathered and... it's floating on the Earth's atmosphere, undetected through its barrier segment that prevent satalites from detecting it through their radar screen and there is something inside it that seem to suggest that it's not of any nation's network, making it unapproachable and undetected at the same time. "Human perception: Corrupted. No more forwarding of evolution. Revolution system online, reverting everything into blank state where no life forms detected, commencing." The computer system called J.E.H.O.V.A.H said.

...At the Gotanda Eatery...

"Well, how is it?" Gotanda Dan asked Ichika as they play in the arcade room in the restaurant, Ichika often goes here from time to time.

"Huh? What?" Ichika said getting distracted at his playing of his own version of Chifuyu's former IS in her days of the Mondo Grosso, during that tournament it would seem that Byakushiki was more durable for the user to handle, well, Chifuyu was much more experienced than her own younger brother, but her younger brother is also somewhat becoming like a force to be reckoned with whenever he enters into Zero mode, which he seems to be getting a hang of it as times goes by, he can activate on his own and prevent it from taking over should extreme situation arises.

"You know, being the luckiest man on Earth of being able to enter paradise, so what it is like? I mean getting into an island that is full of angels man." Dan is known to be laid back in demeanor as well as attitude and he frequently gets Ichika's bluntness in acknowledging the feelings of his younger sister, Ran Gotanda, who is the president of the school she's attending to, and she's been known to be very strict at the rules there, courtesy of her being graceful that is, but one day though, she met a boy who she fell in love with due to his chivalrous nature and his tendency to get himself in trouble for all sort of... rescuing in fact, it happened in middle school when... nah, not worth mentioning, anyway, about what Dan is exaggerating, Ichika himself feels bewildered at his own questioning, though that may be just Ichika's own point of view while others are different.

"Huh? I don't know what you mean. Anyway, I'm gonna get you now, hiya, take this!"

"Whoa, super turbo attack huh? Not bad, not bad, but I'm good at this now, take this! Super cluster claw attack!"

The screen shows that Dan has won. "Oh man."

"Ha ha, sorry Ichika, but while you were absent here, I've been practicing non-stop, anyway, back to my question, what life is like, life in that paradise I mean?"

'What's he talking about? I live in an isolated island of IS academy and I receive all sort of harsh training regimen from both Chifuyu-nee and my friends.' By friends, he meant the four representative candidates from various countries and then Houki who is also a Japanese. "Anyway, I don't know what you're-"

"Geh, there you go again, always pretending not knowing everything, everything is going up for you you bastard, I wish I can trade your place for all the angels there to notice me." Right, being laid back, Dan is quite exaggerating things like a normal high school boy would do and there's another friend around here who is also male, Ichika wonders where he is. "Anyway, we-"

_slide. _"Hey, onii, can you come down already? It's already lunch time." Someone barged in in homestyle, shorts, tank tops, no wait, it's just one single person, someone Ichika recognizes.

"Oh, Ran, sorry, be right there, sorry Ichika, but that is the match."

"Hai, hai, Oh, hey there Ran." Ichika waves at Ran, he's used to seeing women in almost revealing outfits due to his experiences around the girls in IS academy, there is the matter of his Hysteria Zero Syndrome, he has to master when to activate it and as a result, seeing girls in these kind of clothing, or no clothes at all, became a habit for him not to give in to... temptation of sorts, well, not that he's planning to activate it through the bodies of females but he intends to activate it through sheer will.

"Come on onii, we- I-Ichika-san!" She took notice of her... well... someone she holds feelings for. "Wh-Wh-What are you... What are you...?" She stutters.

"Hm? Oh, I came to check on our house earlier so I decided to stop by." His schedule with Charlotte at the station will be around 1:30 p.m. in the afternoon so he still has time before lunch. And so he decided to stop by here where all sort of delicious cooking are cooked by the one who is very popular with the customers around here due to her attractive posture, as well as her cooking skills, and that is none other than the daughter of Ren Gotanda, Ran, she's also the granddaughter of Gen Gotanda, the head of the family, and... well, sort of a very obnoxious old man who is very protective of his granddaughter.

"Uh..." Looking at her attire... the zip of her shorts is open... "Ge-Geeh!" She quickly closes it and hides behind the wall by the door. "Wh-What a surprise a... well..." She's halfly hiding behind the wall while staring at Ichika.

"Ah, it's been a while, so, how are you doing?"

"Oh uh... ha ha, it's... it's... it's been a sunny day around here! ha ha!" She said halfly feeling awkward of her choice of words due to her nervousness.

"Oh uh yeah, it is hot." Summer is almost here and those who lack air conditioner are finding it difficult to at least find comfort other than to take baths or showers in bathrooms or they could go to the shore for some swimming or... well, refreshing and recreational activities would certainly fresh the mind of troubles and other burdening matters. "Well, I suppose we could... hm?" Ichika is suddenly feeling... _sharp! _"Gr, uwa... what the..." He touches his head. _blurrgh, blurrgh. _Here it goes again, he's not becoming excited but... "Gr, grr... What... the..."

"Hey Ran, can't you at least wear some proper clothes while barging into someone else's room? At this rate, you'll be labelled as a shameless woman and-" _Shrring! _"Geeh!" A sharp glare.

"You... why didn't you tell me he was coming?"

"Eh...? Uh, I forgot?" At that answer, Ran strikes another glance or stare that made him shrun like superma*** or something.

"Gr, grr." While the Gotanda siblings would quarrel, Ichika is feeling something like... _blurrgh, blurrgh...! _A vision... it seems to be not an hallucination given the past experiences that he has experienced with this and it has revealed some premonition for him. "Gr, I... I..." _blurrgh, blurrgh, blurrgh! _Ichika sees... a girl...? She has a long blonde hair and she seems to be... american, well, her suit that is with an american symbol on it, that goes to say something like "good morning our proud USA" or something like that. But that aside, Ichika can see something like an IS that seems to have large wings as weapons and the pilot as an helmet that is to be that of an advanced system that is similar to the Z.E.R.O. programming that his Zero mode would "enter" into Byakushiki and it's helping the pilot fend off pursuers and attackers without having to deal with a decision making on what to do, but... Ichika can see the pilot fighting a... a fortress? No, it's... it's a huge contraption that seems to be mobile and it's operating on its own and it's firing at the machine... and then... _boom, boom, bang, bang, boom, boom! _The IS sent out various, multiple energy balls that rain down on the contraption, it didn't do much damaged due to the shield barrier around it, then the contraption begun something like an attack with special qualifications like the letters J.E.H.O.V.A.H to be input and so... _blaast... blaas... _it's charging... _blaastt-! _Then it fired on the IS, disabling it, and knocking down the pilot in the process. "Ah!" Ichika snuffs out of the vision in time for him to... well, he was not present, but the trauma of the experience makes it a little... dizzy, as Ichika tries to maintain his composure...

"Anyway, Ichika, do you- huh?" Dan noticed that Ichika is having an headache of sort. "H-Hey, are you alright?"

"Ichika-san?" Ran as well, she's very worried about the boy.

"Urgh, urgh, ahh..." _blurrgh, blurrgh, blurrgh... _Due to the sudden rise of the blood to the spinal cord, Ichika cannot stop the now coming of the other guy. "Urgh, urrgh..."

"Ichika-san?" Ran approaches him which...

"Urg... gr... huh?" Ichika could see blurry at Ran and... her bodily posture and curves... "Ah... ah." That is enough to make one man excited so... _blurgh. _"Guh," Uh oh. Here it comes...

"Ichika-san?" Leaning closer...

_blurrgh, bllurrgh, blurrgh...! _Hysteria Zero Syndrome! "..." Ichika looks down with his hair covering his eyes a bit.

"Ichika-san?"

"H-Hey, Ichika, are you alright?"

"...Ah, I'm alright, just a little... fuzzy." He said taking balance on the game arcade mechanism as support.

"Man, you should eat for now I think, that warm sunlight maybe getting through your head."

"Ichika-san, if it's alright with you, can you... um... stay... for... f-for... f-for lunch?" Ran stutters.

"Ah... ah. I would be honored." He said.

"R-Really?"

"Ah, besides..." Ichika turns to her with a smirk and a smile. "With someone like your cooking, I would be probably one of the most happiest man on Earth." He said that suggestively with a smile no less.

"Eh?" Ran blushes.

"Huh?" While Dan is buffled.

"I... Ichika-san?"

"Ah, sorry, I'll be okay, so why don't you call downstairs now Ran? I'm sure you'll be busy with your almost delicious cooking that is like that of God's blessing." Assuming of course, if there is a God, Ichika is referring to that God as the light of goodness itself, or maybe it's just the light with the God as merely a name.

"Eh? Oh uh... y-yes, um... E-Excuse me." She said dashing off.

"Whoa, she dashed up of like that. Hm," Dan turns to Ichika. "Hey, what made you say that? Are you flirting with my sister you bastard?"

"Huh? Why Dan, I was merely complementing her skills, you are blessed with a sister like Ran, I'm proud of you."

"Huh?" Dan is more buffled now as he pats him on the shoulder for having a sister like Ran, but that's not what is important to him right now, no, wait, Ran is important, more than anything, but anyway, what is buffling him right now is to why Ichika is suddenly acting all chivalrous and flirtious all of the sudden. "What's gotten into you? Did the sun suddenly stroke you out of your head?"

"Huh? Of course not, there's no such thing as that, sunlight can affect the skin as well as the organ, so there's no way my mentality would be affected by something like that, other than I will be burdened of course, well, with the heat rising up here, let's get a move on."

"..." Dan sees him off as he leaves with his hands on his sleeves. "...What's gotten into him?"

...Downstairs...

Ichika eats the usual ramen he orders here from time to time with Ran watching him, she's now dressed in a more elegant manner in which she wears more like a proper service, well, not the revealing type but more like the type where you will be like the housewife around the house and her hair is now down unlike earlier that it was attached by a bandana. "Um, Ichika-san..."

"_ssip. _Hm? Yes?"

"Well um... h-how are you in... well, IS... IS academy?"

"Yeah, tell us about your life there man. _siip._" Dan said eating some leftovers here, there's not much customers here unlike in many days due to the heat of the sun this season, there's not much people going out as it is like a desert outside and the fact that only Ichika and some customers are present, the decent ones, these type of customers are those who have come to know Ran and her family now to the point that they're devoted, in a way that they'll help them should someone threaten them, with Ran as a huge factor to that as one can guarantee, that is because... Ran is precious to family not only because she's a good cook, but she does attract customers from time to time, her mother is proud to be able to produce a child like her, Dan is no exception to that of course.

"Hm, my life there, hm, it's great."

"Guh." Somehow, Ran is feeling uncomfortable.

"As expected, those angels in paradise must be lovely huh? Hehe." Dan smirks at that which... _tssing! _"Hm? Grr!" He becomes small again like superma*** due to Ran's glare for saying something explicit like the girls there are angels to celebrate and be "hosts" to the man who crosses their paradise like... nah, nevermind his own delusion of grandeur.

"Hm, everyone is nice, and I have a childhood friend there." Ichika said eating again.

"Oh, a childhood friend?"

"Ah, there's Rin as well."

"Eh? ...L-Ling-san? As in... Huang Lingyin?" Ran knows who that is, both because they are acquaintance as well as... rivals, as in they both cook at their family restaurants, Chinese vs Japanese cooking that is, and they both share the same feeling for the man they love.

"Ah, then there's also..." Ichika elaborates on his five friends such as Charlotte, Cecilia, Laura and the other two that are already mentioned, but Ran didn't heard their names properly as she is in her own world right now, she remembes Rin and the thought of her staying with Ichika in the academy...

"..."

"...and that being the case, I'm happy that I have gotten known them."

"Oh, I see."

"Hm, and I share a room with Houki once."

_THOB! _Some dropped on the floor, a tray with a wooden bowl on it. "Hm? Ran?"

"Hm?" Ren and the other customers were attracted to that sound.

"H-Hey, Ran..." Dan said nervously.

"S-Share a room...? With... With this Houki person? As in... you both slept on the same room?"

"Ah, we did all sort of happy stuff like..." Ichika elaborates again, he's in his Zero mode right now so he speaks modest and chivalrous words like referring to the activities of everyone in the academy to be somewhat graceful and happy times for him as he stays there, though all of his lectures were in vain as Ran didn't paid attention to any of it, he's happy that he told her anyway due to his nature right now. "...and that being the case, I'm going to see Charlotte today at the station."

"Uh... Ichika, lesson time is over, it's..." Dan reminded his friend while turning to his sister who is quite getting... dark... broody...

"...onii..."

"Wh-What? Come on, hey, why don't we all eat huh? Come on, the ramen is getting cold Ichika, eat up man."

"Huh? Oh, forgive me, I lost track of my food. Sa, thank you for the food then, Gotanda-san."

"Ah, it is no small matter Ichika-kun, my Ran made it after all, hmhm." The mother said proud of her daughter's resemblance to her in many ways like their cooking skills for one, parents are like that, they cherish their child as their treasure and would be proudful when representing them in many ways like... nah, not worth mentioning it if you are in Dan's position right now.

"Uh Ran, a..."

"Onii, we'll talk later."

"Huh? But... uh... I... I'll go out with Kazuma later so... ha ha."

"Then, tonight." Refusal of dismissing the meeting.

"Well, what a lively guest we have here." Here comes the head of the family, Gen Gotanda, coming out of the kitchen. "If you do nothing but talk, then step out already!"

"...Hai, we apologize." The three said together. Ichika is in his zero mode right now, so he can act accordingly in the honor code of the chivalrous people in the world but...

"Sa, Itadakimasu."

"Itadakimasu." Ichika said followed by the two siblings. Gen nods satisfied at their action and then contines to fry on the vegetable ingredients on the counter on the kitchen.

"So, onii, I've decided..." Ran announces.

"Hm? What? Decided what?"

"Hm?" Even Ichika became curious. "What is it?"

"I will... I will enroll to IS academy!" She said that proudly, catching the attention of the customers as well as Ren and Gen.

"Oh my."

"Really now, my Ran is enrolling there?"

"Huh? You guys are satisfied with that?" Dan asked bewildered as he seems to be the only one against the idea. "I mean, Ichika, don't you guys go to a special test or something like you have to be skillful in manuevering the... IS or something right?"

"Hm, right."

"See? Why don't you-"

"That's fine." She lets out a paper and thrusted it to Dan.

"Eh? This is..." It's an application form it seems, she passed... wow, that was quick. "Uh..."

"I just need a notebook and that's it." Dan feels like his sweat is rolling up while Gen continues to nod away, she's very... well, Ran is very treasured by him it seems.

"If my Ran would demand it, she would have it, ha ha ha ha!" That horse laugh of a proud old man, Ren simply laughs with him, well, in a more gentle tone.

"So, Ichika-san, please... ahem, please guide me through as my senpai there." She said putting her hands together.

"Ah, you're really into this aren't you?"

"Ichika, don't tell her that! Tell her to shove it off or something, like... Ran, can't you just go to a proper straight course to university? I thought your school was already... uh... I don't know... was it like..." _tssing. _

"_Don't interrupt with this._"

"Guh," He's more shrunk now than a mushroom, or a mouse, or a cricket or whatever small thing one can compare with.

"Hm, poor Dan." Ichika noted in a whispering tone. "So Ran, you are really going to take this test i order to get admitted?"

"H-Hai, whatever... whatever... it takes." Whatever it takes to be with one's beloved she means, but she can't say that outward and loudly. "So... please?" Fluppy smile and fluppy expression, it's too cute to resist and Ichika being in Zero mode...

"Ah, sure thing, if it's a thousand miles across the river, I would happily reach out." Like a poem in a love novel, he accepted her... well, generous proposal.

"Wa- R-Really?" She smiles brightly as Ichika extended a hand like a prince offering a ride for a princess. "I... I..." 'I'm so happy!' She said that without the words coming out of her mouth, well, it doesn't need to be, Ichika, being in Zero mode, was happy to offer it as well.

"Guaargh! Why did it come to this! Ichika!" Dan suddenly strangles Ichika from behind. "You bastard, why are you so damn popular? Is it the face? Is that face popular today? Share some of the popularity with me man!"

"...I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about Dan, so please, let go of me." He said gently removing his hands around his neck, in a gentleman way while keeping a straight face as his zero mode compels him to. "Sa, Ran," Turning back to the younger sibling, "I intend to do my best for you, may you pass the examination and be my kouhai for next... hm, three months? Next year? Hm..."

"Um, I think... I think I'll go... Near the end of summer." Wow, that is... early.

"Is that so?"

"Hm, I..."

"Oh, you're willing to study early Ran?" Ren asked.

"That's my Ran for you." Gen said proudly.

"H-Hai, I'm... I'll do my best." She said leaving for the second floor.

"Ah, proud child." Ichika said proud of Ran for being praised by her parents, while...

"Hey Ichika..."

"Hm? Yes?"

"Why are you..."

"...? Please speak loudly."

"Why are you so damn tenacious about all of this! First of all, what charm do you have huh? Did you get a girlfriend already huh? Share some of it with me you bastard, come on, share it with me, give me some of the syndrome dammit! How do you make girls fall for you!"

"Will you shut up Dan!"

"Shut up you old fart, I'm having a serious conversation here!"

"What did you say!" Uh oh, those muscles are intact.

"Now now, father, let us make Dan offer his opinions at least." Ren butts in like a mascot and mediator of the family here.

"Hmph, I suppose if you say so my dear child." Such loyalty from the head of the family.

"Anyway, Ichika, go get a girlfriend this year- no, this month, you got it! Get a girlfriend or something!"

"...Dan, you're choking me, please let go." He asked politely.

"Oh, sorry about that." He said smiling. "Hey, wait a minute, I have the right to choke you!" He chokes him again. "Damn you bastard, don't suddenly-!" _slide. _"Huh?"

"Hm?" Both of them turn to the door, with Ichika slowly shoving off his arms around his neck to release himself from the choking. "These are..."

"Hey, we're here!"

"Yeah, the usual customers!"

"..." Dan suddenly becomes serious and disgusted. "Hm, I met some unwanted guys today."

"Ah, hm." Ren is speechless as well, she's the natural beauty in this restaurant along with Ran, Gen is powerless to do something due to these guys being nobles around here, and if he lay a finger at them, the business of the family could be tarnished, or worse, they could be rob out of their business for sure.

"...What do you guys want?" Dan asked in a menacing tone.

"What? Is that how you greet us? Hehe, so, where's the cute Dan Gotanda's younger sibling here?"

"Gr," Dan gritted his teeth because of that, he's angry for his younger sister, Ran, for being referred to as such by these disgusting people, they tend to abuse their power out of corruption and Gen, despite his muscular body, cannot lay a finger on them.

"..." Ichika watches them with sullen stare that suggest that they're not welcome here. "Hey, Dan, who are they?"

"Gr, a bunch of spoiled customers, mother is occasionally treating them here but they tend to sometimes abuse her, tch, I can't believe we're allowing them."

"..." Political abusal of power it seems. Ichika is familiar with these sort of thing due to recent experience like the plot to steal the Alcott inheritence, then there's Charlotte being sent to the IS academy to steal some important data about the Byakushiki as well as the blue tears, then there's Laura being treated like only an instrument of war or something, he's quite familiar with them. "..." And he's disgusted in the same manner as Dan.

"Onii, where's my-"

"Ran, don't come down!"

"Huh? Haha, there she is." The disgusting men said.

"Onii, wha- Huh?" Ran comes down and is distraught by the men she comes to be familiar with in appearance, those ugly faces of theirs as well as their ugly nature of being spoiled.

"Ah, Ran." Ren said worriedly.

"You... Don't you dare stand a ground to my Ran!" Gen said standing in front of Ran. "Sa, I don't care if you hurt me, come at me!"

"H-Hey old man, don't forget about the rest of us here, we'll be rob out of business if we..." Dan intercede.

"Ge, we don't care what you do to us, lay a finger on us and you'll be out of business you stupid old fart."

"Gr," Gen can barely contain himself in frustration as well as anger, they're the same thing, as he stood for his granddaughter.

"G-Grandfather, I..." Ran said in a stuttering tone.

"Sa, let us have fun in this restaurant and-" _Grab. _"Hm?"

"Huh?"

"Hm?" Everyone turns to Ichika who grabs one of the punks on his arm.

"Hey, what's your deal you spoiled man? Let go of me."

"...Who are you?" He asked, though he doesn't really care about their identities. What he cares is...

"Huh? You don't know me? The son of the powerful lord-" _Thud, Crrkk! _"Guah!" One teeth got tossed out of the mouth... no, there's... three, they're lying on the ground after Ichika kicked him off his cheek.

"Ah."

"Wha-"

"Ah. Ichika-san."

"Hm," The Gotanda family seems to be surprised at that.

"Wh-Are you out of your mind! By doing that, you just framed yourself an enemy of the neighbor here!" One of the punks said.

"Go ahead, I have no problem putting myself on the line, and since none of the Gotanda family members attacked your buddy there, there should be no casualties for them right? Sa, hurry up and come and get me, if you don't want to return to your houses saying you got kicked out by only one man." He said that in a mocking tone towards them, menacing as well too, this is the code of chilvary and that of a gentleman too, so...

"Ge, damn you, we'll remember this!" The two left the restaurant.

"Huh," Ichika walks to the unconcious guy, then he grabs him, then he walks towards the entrance and exit.

"Ah."

"..a..." The Gotanda family watch him.

"Sa, you forgot you buddy, go get him!" _Thud! _He kicked him out of the house.

"Guaah!" _Tcchhawtch! _He got tossed at the garbage can.

"H-Hey, boss, let's get out of here!" The other two grabbed him and left.

"Huh." Ichika dusts off his hands then turn to the Gotanda family. "Sa, I'll take care of anyone who disrupt your daily life, you have my word on that, okay?" He said winking at them.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Ah." They're all speechless.

"Sa, see you again, the food was nice, arigatou, Ran."

"A-Ah, um, I-Ichika-san!" Ran runs to the door.

"H-Hey, Ran." Dan calls out.

"Ichika-san!"

Just before Ichika walks out. "Hm? Yes?"

"Um... A-Arigatou, you... saved us all."

"Huh, not really, I would have done what any normal people would have done, sa, good luck on your test admission to IS academy, farewell for now, Ran." He said winking then left.

"Ah." Ran blushes at that. "H-Hai, arigatou-gozaimasu!" She said bowing.

"Hey, Ichika, since when did you learn to kick like that? Come on teach me man!" Dan rises out of the door.

"Arigatou-gozaimasu, Ichika-kun." Ren comes out as well to say thanks to the one who saved their family business.

"Hmph, there is some worth to that guy after all, why don't you be like him Dan?" Gen said.

"Ge, I wish I could."

"Ichika-san..." There goes probably the only person Ran will fall in love with, someone chivalrous, gentle, kind and... well, attractive, that was the effect of the zero mode just now. "Hm," Like a lovestruck girl, she's surrounded by sakura blossoms like falling down to bless her with genuine feelings, when one feels love, it will remain there as love will grow forever. "Hm, Ichika-san." She closes her eyes in a dreamily fashion.

"Uh, Ran, he alread left." She didn't even heard what Dan said.

...Meanwhile, at Ichika...

He's walking down on the street then... "Hm?" He's blocked by a group of people, three guys, the ones earlier, and some body guards. "You people..."

"Bastard, if you think you can get away unscathed for your actions earlier, I'll make you a exact reminder that no one crosses us and live."

"Yeah, we'll beat you up, and then we'll present you to the Gotandas to make them know you're taking care of."

"Yeah, and then we'll have all the pleasure of the mother and daughter there, heehe."

"Yeah, ha ha."

"Ha ha ha!" They all laugh disgustingly, which makes Ichika disgusted at them.

"...Aren't you tired of being humiliated? Why don't you just leave before you embarrass yourself any further?" Ichika said mocking them, well, from their perspective anyway.

"What- Why you... hmph, no matter, sa, everyone, I want him to be on the trash bin now!"

"Hai sir!" The body guards oblidge.

"Yare, yare." Ichika said placing a hand on his forehead. "Sa, come on, let's get this over with." He said shoving this off as merely something that is of a nuisance to his daily day right now.

"Huh? Ichika?" Charlotte is at the other side of the street.

"Sa, come on, let's get this over with." Ichika said. Then he smirks evily.

"Sa, grant him his wish!"

"Hiyaa!" The guards charge forth.

"Huh? Ichika?" Charlotte is curious on what is going on, not knowing this is where one's life is on the line.

"Hiya!" One body guard tries to punch.

_Whoosh! _"Hm," Reaction time low, and target perimeter inbound, now all that is left is... "Too slow." _Strike! _

"Guaah!" He got kicked on the chin, sending him flying.

"Hm," Ichika turns to them.

"Gr, get him!"

"Hiyaa!" All of them together now.

"Ah, Ichika!" Charlotte now knows what is going on. "Hm," She rushes to his aid. "Ichika!"

"Hm? Charlotte?"

"Huh?" The punks turn to her. "Who..."

"Whoa, pretty babe."

"Yeah, let's get her."

"Hm," Ichika gets angry at that, he has little care for his own well-being, but when someone pure as Charlotte is involved... "Bas... tard..." _flash. _Partial of the Byakushiki is deployed, this is an instant deployment check, like a quick-deployment method that Rin usually this with the Shenlong's arm. "I won't let any one dirty finger of yours near her!" _Thud, strike, strike-! Thud! _

"Guaah!" They all got kicked and punched on the cheeks which are now red, then Ichika with one arm on the ground, perform a rotating kick on the three spoiled nobles chin, _thud, thud, Thud-! _

"Guah!"

"Argh!"

"Gurrgh!" They all got sent flying to the side.

"Ow, my teeth..." Two out.

"My teeth..." Three out."

"Guah... my teeth..." ...Four out, leaving only one.

"Hmph," Ichika dismisses the arm of Byakushiki. "That takes care of it."

"Ichika." Charlotte approaches him.

"Hm, hey there, Charlotte." He smiles at her.

"Ichika, what...?"

...Later, at the shopping mall

"I see, so they..."

"I visited some people I know, they are closed to me, then those guys threatened them, so I took care of them." Ichika and Charlotte walk among the crowd in this crowded mall, they are here for shopping for the upcoming break, come to think of it, there's also the class trip to london soon.

"I see, so these acquaintance of yours Ichika, can you introduce them?"

"Hm? Why of course? There's Ran, Dan, then there's their mother, and the head of their family Gen. Oh, Gen-san, pardon me." He said in a graceful manner of speaking.

"Eh? You mean... they're..."

"Right, they all live in a family restaurant called Gotanda eatery, and I usually go there to eat sometimes, you should go there too if you like. I could treat you."

"O-Oh, that's... that's fine, I have my own allowance as well."

"Nonsense Charlotte, I have some priorities to treat you to them since you don't know this place well right? And the fact you still can't use chopsticks."

"O-Oh, right, ha ha." Right, one time, during his Zero mode, Ichika fed Charlotte with fish on the cafeteria, which made or prompt the others to do the same by opening their mouths and him feeding them one by one. Such is the way of his Zero mode.

"So Charlotte, want me to buy you a present?"

"Eh? P-Present?"

"Right, for the summer, hm, how about... hm?" Something catches his eyes, a bracelet with shimmering design on it. He approaches it and checks his allowance.

"Ah, Ichika."

"Hm, perhaps this will do."

...Meanwhile, somewhere...

"Hey, Natasha Fairs, how fares the mission? What is...?"

"I'm checking on it." Somewhere in the open field of the sky, one IS is flying through the clouds being reflected on the sunlight, it's now afternoon here in Japan while it's only about morning somewhere in America no doubt, or maybe not, well, casting that aside, Natasha Fairs, the pilot for the Silver Gospel, flies through the endless clouds to check for something that was detected at the radar that is sending out waves that is disrupting the electricity current of some cities in the US. "Hm, where is it? Hm, hang in there kid." Despite the machine, the Silver Gospel, being battle oriented, she treats it like a partner and... well, a kid, as she refers to it, machines seems to have some sort of low sentience as they react to orders, this Silver Gospel is working accordingly to its pilot. "Hm, it's not here and- Huh?" In front is... a gigantic... machine... that is like that of a giant statue with a round circle about it, it's circling around, erecting a barrier around it. Then some letters are form on the outside shell, J.E.H.O.V.A.H. And... _Waave... wavvee... _It sends out some kind of wave that is disrupting some communication intercom as well as interface, the IS interface is also disrupted.

"What is going on Nat-" The communication is cut off as a result.

"H-Hey, Iris, what's wrong? Why-" _wavve, wavve-! _"Gruargh!"

The Silver Gospel begun to feel disrupted, well, it seems to be in pain if it's... well, it seems to have some sentience about it as it tries to maintain the pilot from being knocked out, but...

"Gu... uu... uurrgh...!" Natasha Fairs could feel that the system that is lowering her reaction time is becoming unstable due to the disrupting waves that the huge machine is sending.

"..." Then this J.E.H.O.V.A.H seems to be doing something as the circular thing around it rotates in a fast manner, then it begins to glow brightly.

"Wh-What is... going on...?"

_grrr, grr. _It's becoming unstable. _grr, static, shoock, shoock, shoock-! Boom! Blaast! _A shockwave is sent all over its surrounding like a meteorite just landed.

"Ah!"

"_static, system offline, commencing defensive manuever._"

"Ahugh! K-Kid... I... Ugh." Natasha Fairs is knocked unconcious due to the unrelenting waves that has overloaded her mind to the point that she cannot wake up. Thus, the defensive circuits of the Silver Gospel is activated.

"_System compute, retreating from the field._" Since apparently, the J.E.H.O.V.A.H machine seems to be unapproachable, it retreated somewhere to who knows where. There is also another problem...

"..." _Waave, wavvee-! _The J.E.H.O.V.A.H machine then sent out another wave with different origins this time, it's... a virus... J.E.H.O.V.A.H virus it seems...

"_static... static... Shock!_" The interface of the Silver Gospel is disrupted as a result. _"Grooaann, grooaarn, grooaan._" Then it becomes unstable. "System... overload..." The interface of the Silver Gospel becomes red, and one objective is on its priority... "Destroy... cities... of... Japan..." That's its mission now, the virus destroyed its programming due to the virus of the J.E.H.O.V.A.H machine.

"..." The machine then gets covered by the clouds, as it may be affecting them with some degree of equipment of cloaking device.

"_grooaan!_" _Blaast! _The Silver Gospel speeds somewhere to the borders of Japan.

End of Chapter 10

**Note: The title "Heaven's Dark Harbinger" is a referrence of what is being referred to Jenova there, here, the same manner of destroying the world in judgment day is similar to that of FF7 plot of something like a meteor will crash into the world and destroy it, in here, the same manner of thing will occur as J.E.H.O.V.A.H, the main antagonist which is similar manner to Jenova in which it doesn't have anything other than destructive instincts in destroying the world, which maybe classified as its programming as it is a machine, so I suppose you could call this story a combination of science and supernatural, anyway, something similar to meteor in FF7 will occur here and "purge" the world as J.E.H.O.V.A.H wanted, you will see the rest from here on out. Well, goodbye, we will meet again.**


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